Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2004
191 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport the discussions he has had with the Department of Education and Science regarding school transport and its safety aspect, particularly in regard to seat belts having to be worn when fitted on all transport by 2006. [14840/04]
View answerA consultation paper that set out a wide range of options for enhancing school bus safety was published by my Department in March 2002. Following an extended consultation period a large number of responses were received. These are now being reviewed and preliminary discussions have taken place between my Department and the Department of Education and Science in regard to identifying a cost effective approach to enhancing road safety for school transport in the context of competing priorities for Exchequer funding.
In the past year a number of developments at EU level in relation to the fitment and wearing of seat belts on buses have occurred. Directive 2003/20/EC, which was adopted in April 2003, provides, inter alia, for the compulsory wearing of seat belts by all occupants of buses aged three years or over, where seat belts are provided. Member states are required to transpose the directive into their national law by 9 May 2006. It is, however, my intention to make the necessary regulations to transpose the directive as soon as type-approval standards for related safety systems, including standards related to the mandatory fitment of seat belts, have been adopted at European level.
In this regard the European Commission last year published proposals to amend a number of directives relating to the type-approval requirements for safety belts and restraint systems, anchorages for safety belts, and seats, their anchorages and head restraints. The proposals provide, inter alia, for the mandatory fitment of seat belts in all buses and coaches, other than those used on staged-stop urban services, at manufacturing stage. Under the proposals it would be a requirement for the sale, registration and entry into service of new buses and coaches, from 1 January 2006, that their safety belts, and restraint systems, anchorages for safety belts, and seats, their anchorages and head restraints would conform with the technical requirements specified in the proposed directives. Good progress has been made on the proposals and it is expected that they will be considered at Council shortly with a view to the adoption of a common position by member states. It is not proposed nor would it be feasible for technical reasons to fit seat belts to existing buses.
