Age limit for school bus drivers
Deputy Stanley calls for removal of the ban preventing drivers over 70 from driving school minibuses, highlighting its inconsistency and staffing impact. The Tánaiste agrees the rule is farcical and says it is being examined with the relevant authorities.
The programme for Government commits to a review of the school transport scheme. The biggest obstacle within that scheme at the moment is the ban on drivers over 70. We have the ludicrous situation where such drivers cannot drive a minibus bringing ten pupils to school under the school transport scheme but later in the day they can drive a 72-seater bus full of children to the local swimming pool or on a bus tour to Dublin, Cork or Killarney. This is a crazy situation. Many of these drivers depend on this part-time work to supplement their pension income and operators are at their wits' end trying to recruit drivers. They have to let these people go when they reach 70. Once drivers pass the eyesight and medical tests, they should be allowed to continue.
I spoke to the Minister for Transport about this and I have a reply from the Department here. The Minister for Transport said that the Department is committed to carrying out an independent assessment on the feasibility of removing the exclusion of drivers over 70 years of age from the school transport scheme. The assessment is a medical test. It is very simple. I had it recently because I have a HGV and a bus licence. Once they pass it, that is it; they are fit to drive.
Comment on this
I must say I agree with the Deputy. This is a bizarre situation where somebody over the age of 70 can drive kids in a private bus to the soccer or GAA game at the weekend but cannot drive them to school in a Bus Éireann bus. It is either safe or it is not safe and the inconsistency in relation to this is quite farcical and annoying at a time when we are trying to get more drivers. I have raised this myself. I do not mean to say this in a way that infuriates the Deputy but it is, in the first instance, a matter for Bus Éireann. My colleague, the new Minister of State with responsibility for transport, intends to pursue this. There are people who are perfectly healthy and fit and well able to drive buses and the idea that they can drive any bus other than a Bus Éireann bus does not cut the mustard with me.