Written answers
Tuesday, 27 July 2021
Department of Education and Skills
School Transport
Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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968. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will engage with Bus Éireann and review the situation in which drivers over 70 years of age are prohibited from driving school buses (details supplied); and if the rule will be eased for at least three years and until such time as Covid-19 and capacity restrictions have ceased. [39778/21]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
It is Bus Éireann company policy that normal retirement age for all Bus Éireann staff is currently 66 years. However Bus Éireann part-time School Bus Drivers and drivers nominated by private operators who operate service as part of the School Transport scheme may continue to perform in the role provided they hold the requisite licence and satisfy an annual medical examination until they retire at age 70.
This policy and criteria is applied to all drivers who provide school transport services on behalf of Bus Éireann equally.
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