Vol. 477 No. 7
100 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Education if she will carry out an audit of the school transport fleet in this country in view of the concerns of parents about the safety of vehicles and incumbent regulations on transportation from the EU. [10212/97]
I can assure the Deputy that safety standards of vehicles for school transport is of paramount importance to my Department and to Bus Éireann, who operate the scheme on its behalf. Bus Éireann places special emphasis on safety and a wide range of checking procedures are in place to ensure a safe and reliable service.
All school transport vehicles operated by Bus Éireann and private contractors are subject to an annual road worthiness check. Regular inspections are carried out to ensure that their reliability is maintained throughout the year.
The vehicles used in the school transport scheme meet all statutory regulations as set down by the Department of the Environment. Any new Department of Environment regulations on passenger transport will also be complied with by Bus Éireann.
Bus Éireann's policy of continuous fleet replacement facilitates the improvement of the quality of vehicles used in the operation of the school transport scheme, and provides a better standard of service for pupils availing of school transport.
In the circumstances, I have no plans to carry out an audit of the school transport fleet at this time.
