Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Nov 1993

Vol. 435 No. 8

Adjournment Debate. - County Monaghan School Transport.

Mr. Crawford

I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, for the opportunity to raise this issue. I also thank the Minister for coming to reply.

I fully understand the serious financial limitations under which the Minister for education has to work so far as the whole education system is concerned. However, in my opinion, the issue of the transfer of children from Kingscourt to Carrickmacross is very serious It is unacceptable that there are 99 children on one bus and 78 or 80 children on the other. They have to travel eight miles and many of them have to stand for the entire journey. That is not the fault of the Minister for Education who has been in office for such a short time. Nevertheless it is difficult to understand how a town the size of Kingscourt does not have its own vocational school or some type of second level education. The result is that children from the area have to go in all directions to get to school. Because the children do not have a school nearby they should at least be given the best possible school transport service.

I note from a reply from the Minister's Department recently that the most a 52-seater bus can legally carry is 78 children. I understand that if children are over the age of 15 years the permitted legal number is even less. As the majority of the children are over the age of 15 it is difficult for families to understand how this can be allowed.

The Minister will be aware that the issue of over-crowding on school buses has been raised in many other areas. It would appear to be a general problem. I raise this matter on the Adjournment because discussions between some of my colleagues and the relevant bodies have been ongoing for some time.

The road from Kingscourt to Carrickmacross must be one of the most dangerous in Ireland. It is a narrow winding road on which very heavy trucks travel from the gypsum mines in Magheracloone into Kingscourt. It is easy to understand why the parents of these children are so worried, not alone about the over-crowding but especially about the question of safety and insurance cover.

We are very good at passing laws and telling others how to run their business. Car owners, lorry owners and bus owners all have to adhere to laws and this is only right. However, we seem to ignore all these regulations. Departments should and must show example to others by obeying the rules.

I come from an agricultural constituency and many of my farmer colleagues have not, as yet, been paid their subsidies because of some minor difficulties with their files. They may not even be paid for two years if some small mistake is made. Yet here, as I understand it, rules are completely ignored. I urge the Minister to take immediate steps to have this very serious and dangerous problem rectified in the interests of all concerned. Over-crowding on the buses leads to all kinds of misconduct because the driver cannot see what is happening at the back. If the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications is not in a position to improve the position can he encourage the Minister for Education to have this situation rectified as soon as possible?

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Cowen)

I would like to thank Deputy Crawford for his contribution to this debate.

One of the areas of responsibility of the Minister for Education is to ensure the safe delivery of about 165,000 primary and post-primary pupils throughout the country who are carried on the school transport system on a daily basis. The Minister for Education also has the responsibility of ensuring that the State gets the best possible value for the money it expends on the provision of this service.

In the current year, approximately £39 million will be spent on this service. This figure includes about £4 million which Bus Éireann receives in fares from those pupils who are liable for such charges.

Bus Éireann operate the school transport scheme as agents of the Department. That company assesses the eligibility of all children for school transport and organises the provision of school transport services for those who are eligible. The Department does not make detailed arrangements on the ground. Bus Éireann decide on the routes, set-down and pick-up points and the size of vehicles to be used in individual areas.

The post-primary transport scheme is organised, in the first instance, by the transport liaison officer — who is the chief executive officer of the vocational education committee of the county — in co-operation with the school authorities and Bus Éireann.

I should explain that, for the purposes of the post-primary education transport scheme, the country has been divided into catchment areas, each of which has its own post-primary education centre. In order to be eligible for transport, pupils must live at least three miles from the post-primary centre of the catchment area in which they reside.

In order to be eligible for primary school transport, children between the ages of four and ten must live at least two miles from the nearest school, while older children must live at least three miles from that school.

In the organisation of school transport services, all routes are planned in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, every eligible pupil has a reasonable standard of service from the point of view of time-table and distance from the route, while at the same time ensuring that all vehicles are fully utilised in the most efficient manner, within their authorised carrying capacities.

In order to achieve this, individual vehicles are generally required to operate a number of services to both primary and post-primary schools. This inevitably means that the timetable often requires some pupils to make an early start in the mornings and wait some time in the evenings. This is, and always has been, a feature of the transport schemes throughout the country.

When establishing a primary service, routes are planned in such a way as to ensure that most children will have no more than 1.5 miles to travel to the route of service. When establishing post-primary services, routes are planned in such a way as to ensure as far as possible that no pupils will have more than three hours' travelling and waiting time daily and live no more than three miles from the route of service.

Buses used solely for school transport purposes are licensed under Article 60 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 1963, and the legal carrying capacity of such vehicles is specified on the actual licence issued by the gardaí and strictly adhered to in school transport arrangements.

The majority of vehicles used for school transport purposes are also licensed for more general uses under Article 80 of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicle) Regulations. While engaged for school transport purposes, the vehicles in question may carry three pupils for every authorised two seats. Hence, a 52-seater vehicle falling into this category may carry up to 78 school-going children. Bus Éireann also operate a small number of 61-seater buses which may carry up to 91 schoolchildren.

The services from Kingscourt to Carrickmacross post-primary centre are operated by two large buses, a contractor's 53-seater licensed to carry up to 79 pupils, and a Bus Éireann 61-seater, licensed to carry up to 91 pupils. The Minister has been assured by Bus Éireann that they are satisfied that all vehicles servicing the school transport scheme are operating within their legal carrying capacity and that sufficient seating is provided to make standing by pupils unnecessary. She is further assured by Bus Éireann that such is the case on the Kingscourt to Carrickmacross route. All vehicles operating under the school transport schemes meet rigid safety standards and, where vehicles have over eight adult seats and are more than one year old, they are required to pass the Department of the Environment tests, in regard to roadworthiness.

Bus Éireann are justifiably proud of their safety record in operating the school transport scheme and safety procedures are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that standards are maintained. This includes maintaining passenger safety through the prevention of mis-behaviour by pupils in transit. The procedures for dealing with vandalism on school buses over the years have been very effective and, bearing in mind the number of pupils travelling on a daily basis, the incidents that arise are very isolated.

Where such incidents do arise, as happened recently on the route to which the Deputy refers, the causes are investigated by Bus Éireann in consultation with the relevant school authorities and any necessary remedial action is promptly taken. In such cases, the service in question is closely monitored by Bus Éireann to avoid any recurrence. Bus Éireann has been monitoring the service mentioned by the Deputy and has assured the Minister that at no stage were 99 pupils carried. It also points out that the existing capacity of the service is such that there is no need for pupils to stand.

In view of the Deputy's concerns, the Minister has asked Bus Éireann to continue to monitor the service and to advise her of any difficulties.

Mr. Crawford

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, here is the list of children who travel on that route.