Seán Crowe
Ceist:518 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to proposed or agreed EU legislation dealing with the use of seatbelts on public and school transport. [24892/03]
Written Answers. - Road Safety.
Seán Crowe
Ceist:519 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if sufficient financial resources will be allocated to provide seatbelts for all public and school transport vehicles; and if so, when he will allocate funding. [24893/03]
Seán Crowe
Ceist:520 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if private bus operators will be required to install seatbelts on any or all of their vehicles used for public transportation. [24894/03]
Seán Crowe
Ceist:530 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if the EU is drawing up a directive dealing with the use of seatbelts on public transport vehicles. [25082/03]
Seán Crowe
Ceist:531 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if, in view of the proposed legislation dealing with the use of seatbelts on public transport vehicles, his Department has taken steps or measures to deal with the issue. [25083/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 to 520, inclusive, 530 and 531 together.
The requirements in relation to the use of seatbelts on buses under EU law and national regulations apply to the driver and a passenger in a forward facing front seat of a bus up to 3,500 kg maximum weight where seatbelts are fitted. The requirements do not distinguish between school buses and any other buses. Buses and coaches are not at present required to be equipped with seatbelts either under EU or Irish law.
Directive 2003/20/EC provides,inter alia, for the compulsory wearing of seatbelts by all occupants aged three years or over of buses, whether the bus is under or over 3,500kg maximum weight, where seat belts are provided. Member states are required to transpose the directive into their national law by 9 May 2006. It is my intention to make the necessary regulations to provide for the compulsory wearing of seatbelts where fitted in vehicles as soon as the necessary type approval standards for related safety systems, including standards related to the mandatory fitting of seatbelts, have been agreed at European level.
In June 2003 the European Commission 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. These proposals provide,inter alia, for the mandatory fitting of seatbelts in all buses and coaches, other than those used on staged-stop urban services, at manufacturing stage for the purposes of obtaining motor vehicle type approval. Under the proposals it would be a requirement for the registration, sale or entry into service of 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 amending directives.
The question of requiring the fitment of seatbelts in existing vehicles does not arise through the coming into force of Directive 2003/20/EC nor in the event of agreement on the proposals on amending the type approval standards for safety systems in motor vehicles. In relation to school bus safety a discussion paper on the matter was published by my Department last year. Following an extended consultation period a large number of responses were received. These are now being reviewed with a view to identifying a cost effective approach to enhancing road safety for school transport.