Vol. 551 No. 2
547 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in improving the quality of service on school buses; his plans to ensure that there are supervisors other than the bus driver on school buses for children up to the age of nine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10124/02]
Escorts are provided on school transport services conveying pupils with special needs to school. There are no plans for the provision of escorts on all school buses at present. The safety aspects of school transport, including the three for two seating ratio and the provision of seat belts has been examined by the school transport section of my Department together with Bus Éireann and the Department of the Environment and Local Government. A report has been completed and copies are available from my Department and the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Submissions are invited from all interested parties. When the submissions are received and examined, consideration will be given to the question of what improvements can be put in place to further improve the safety of the children who use the service.
