I am aware of the Circuit Court decision referred to by the Deputy. The case was subsequently appealed to the High Court which overturned the Circuit Court decision and found in favour of the bus operator. The accident in question occurred on a private service outside the scope of the school transport scheme.
Legislation regarding the fitting and use of seat belts in public vehicles is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. Under existing regulations, seat belts are not compulsory on school buses. In operating the school transport scheme Bus Éireann is fully compliant with all relevant regulations as laid down by that Department. Contractors' large vehicles, when tested by the Garda authorities to obtain the licence to operate school bus and other public services, are not required to have seat belts installed to get the PSV licence.
The safety aspects of school transport, including the question of the provision of seat belts, is being examined by the school transport section of my Department with Bus Éireann and the Department of the Environment and Local Government. In line with the commitment given, The Road to Safety – The Government Strategy for Road Safety, 1998-2002, a consultation paper that set out a wide range of options for enhancing school bus safety, was published by the Department of the Environment and Local Government last year. Following an extended consultation period, a large number of responses were received. These are being reviewed with a view to identifying a range of specific proposals for implementation.