Billy Timmins
Question:474 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to implement the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee's report on school transport safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4748/02]
Written Answers. - School Transport.
The recommendations of the joint Oireachtas committee report on school transport have been considered in my Department.
A number of improvements were put in place in 2001. These included reducing the qualifying distance for eligibility for school transport for pri mary school pupils aged ten and over from three to two miles, so that all primary pupils are treated equally for eligibility purposes. The number of eligible primary pupils required to establish a new school bus service has been reduced from ten to seven. All school transport vehicles now have a communication system on board.
The travelling and waiting time for post-primary pupils has been reduced from three to two and a half hours. Where feasible students who are on the early pick-up from their homes are the first to be dropped home in the evening and vice versa.
The safety aspects of school transport are currently being examined by the school transport section of my Department together with Bus Éireann and the Department of the Environment and Local Government. This report, which will be available very shortly, will address issues such as the three for two seating arrangement and seat-belts.