Plan to end sharing of school bus seats

Dáil Report: Bus Éireann is to phase out over the next two to three years the practice where three children share two seats on school buses, Minister of State Síle de Valera told the Dáil.

Ms de Valera stressed, however, that this move was not as a result of Monday's crash when five teenagers died, but had been part of ongoing discussions with Bus Éireann.

The issue was "inextricably linked with seat belts".

The Minister, who has responsibility for school transport, said just 14 per cent of buses operated the "three for two", and it would cost €18 million to phase out.

She told the Dáil during a special notice question on the bus crash that she had to be circumspect in making any premature judgment before the results of three investigations were available.

Stressing that the school bus service had a very good safety record, she emphasised that an older bus did not mean an unsafe bus.

An EU directive to come into effect next year required seat belts to be used where they were fitted.

She said the use of seat belts on school buses was not straightforward, and there were difficulties in designing belts that were safe for children of all ages and sizes.

Experts in the area had advised against fitting seat-belts retroactively because it was more dangerous than when they were fitted when the bus was being manufactured.

She also pointed out that a warning flashing light pilot project had been introduced on buses to reduce the risk of accidents in the vicinity of school buses, and legislation was also being considered to require motorists to slow down on approaching a school bus showing flashing lights.

Labour's education spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan said it was unclear that alterations to the school bus would have made any difference in Meath, but she said that the education committee had been informed that fitting seat-belts retroactively would cost €38,000 a bus.

"There is a strong feeling that, whatever the cost, the Government would have the full backing not only of all parties in this House but also of all the people. Lessons must be learned from this tragic accident."

The Minister said the figure was nearer €60 million to fit the seat belts retroactively.

Sinn Féin's transport spokesman Sean Crowe said that two years ago the minister for education had said that after extensive consultation on the issue of safety belts a large number of responses had been received and were being considered.

Fine Gael's transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said: "When I carry passengers, including children, in my car I have a duty of care to ensure they are strapped in.

"It seems very strange that the State doesn't have a similar duty of care when it transports schoolchildren in public transport.

"Why is it suddenly being suggested that it's not safe to wear seat-belts in school buses?"

Dr Jerry Cowley (Ind, Mayo) said the circumstances of the accident were similar to a case in Co Mayo last year when a young girl was killed in a traffic accident on a road which was covered in dense bitumen macadam (DBM) to which no surface dressing was applied.

He said that without surface dressing such DBM-covered roads were slippery after rain.