Vol. 572 No. 3
404 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to anger among motorists in relation to having two penalty points put on their licences for not wearing a seat belt while passengers on buses are exempt from wearing seat belts and the fact that companies are not penalised on this issue of public safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22863/03]
The current regulations relating to the use of safety belts in vehicles have been in force since 1 January 1993. With effect from 25 August 2003, safety belt related offences by drivers of vehicles attract penalty points.
In general, each occupant of a passenger car is required to wear a safety belt or an appropriate child restraint, as the case may be. The driver of a vehicle is obliged to ensure that an occupant of the vehicle who is under 17 years of age is either restrained by an appropriate child restraint or, provided he or she is four years old and upwards, is wearing a safety belt.
The requirements to wear a safety belt do not apply in respect of the use of a vehicle in which the fitment of safety belts is not mandatory. For cars first registered before 1 June 1971 seat belts are not required in any seating position. Cars registered between 1 June 1971 and 31 December 1991 are required to have safety belts fitted to the driver's seat and the outermost front seat. Cars registered on or after 1 January 1992 are required to have safety belts fitted to all forward facing seats.
Buses and coaches are not at present required to be equipped with safety belts either under Irish or EU law.
In accordance with EU Directive 2003/03, I intend to make the wearing of seat belts compulsory in all goods vehicles and in buses and coaches other than those used on staged stop urban services, as soon as the necessary standards for safety systems including belts, seats, head restraints and anchorages have been agreed at European level.
