Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a compulsory retirement age for school bus drivers; and if so, the details. [52562/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.

In response to the expressed wishes of many school bus drivers - both Bus Éireann and private contractor school bus drivers - who wanted to remain in the position upon reaching retirement age at sixty-six years, and following the advice of their Medical Department, the Company decided to alter the compulsory retirement age for school bus drivers who provide services under the School Transport Scheme to enable experienced personnel to remain on in the position for a maximum of four more years if desired.

School bus drivers who opt to remain on after sixty-six years of age may do so up to the age of seventy, if they are satisfied to do so, subject to annual medical review and once they continue to hold the requisite driving licence.