Vol. 494 No. 4
351 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position in relation to the provision of seat belts for individual students on school buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18395/98]
Current road traffic regulations require the fitting of seat belts in all forward facing front seats in all minibuses, including those used as school buses, which have a design gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3500 kg and are first registered on or after 1 January 1992, from 1 October 1999. Under EU Directive 96/36/EC, member states will be allowed to require that all seating positions in new passenger vehicles with seating for more than eight persons excluding the driver, are fitted with seat belts: vehicles designed to accommodate standing passengers are excluded. The adoption of this requirement would inter alia involve the phasing out of the present 3:2 rule which applies to school buses. As indicated in the Government Strategy for Road Safety 1998-2002, I intend, in consultation with the Minister for Education and Science, to bring forward proposals for enhancing school bus safety; these will be the subject of a public consultation process before finalising action.
