Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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882. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that a person has to cease driving a school bus when they turn 70 years of age but can continue to drive a group of students in a private bus if they are aged 70 years or over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19994/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.

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.

While over 90% of services are contracted locally, Bus Éireann apply stringent assessments of each individual driver on 7,000 school routes.  This includes vetting and background checks.

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.