Brian Stanley: Demands Let Over-70s Drive 16-Seaters
Brian Stanley warns of a looming school transport crunch and urges the government to widen a recent measure allowing over-70s to drive eight-seater minibuses. He asks the Taoiseach to extend the permission to minibuses up to 16-seaters and raise the upper age limit to 74 or 75 with strict medical testing.
Immediate request: Stanley tells the Taoiseach two practical steps are needed now. He welcomes the Easter announcement permitting those up to 72 to drive up to an eight-seater, but says that is only a small step and extra drivers will be needed by September.
Government action and ministerial engagement: Stanley says he advocated strongly with Minister Kenney and mentioned Minister Dara O'Brien. He notes the announcement includes medical checks and expects CIE and companies to weigh safety and board responsibilities when implementing the change.
Safety measures: He highlights the importance of strict medical testing, noting the Minister referred to twice-yearly checks. Stanley frames those checks as a way to address health and ability concerns while expanding the pool of drivers.
Consequences for school transport: The speech warns of driver shortages after several drivers reached 70 and left service. Stanley urges a practical expansion-from eight-seaters to 16-seaters and a modest rise in the age limit-to ensure reliable school bus provision in the coming months.
Immediate request: Stanley tells the Taoiseach two practical steps are needed now. He welcomes the Easter announcement permitting those up to 72 to drive up to an eight-seater, but says that is only a small step and extra drivers will be needed by September.
Government action and ministerial engagement: Stanley says he advocated strongly with Minister Kenney and mentioned Minister Dara O'Brien. He notes the announcement includes medical checks and expects CIE and companies to weigh safety and board responsibilities when implementing the change.
Safety measures: He highlights the importance of strict medical testing, noting the Minister referred to twice-yearly checks. Stanley frames those checks as a way to address health and ability concerns while expanding the pool of drivers.
Consequences for school transport: The speech warns of driver shortages after several drivers reached 70 and left service. Stanley urges a practical expansion-from eight-seaters to 16-seaters and a modest rise in the age limit-to ensure reliable school bus provision in the coming months.
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Transcript
In four short months' time, the scramble for school bus places will start up again. And there's going to be a shortage of drivers, like there has been over the last two years. Now I welcome the move by the government, the announcement by government over the Easter period that we're going to allow over-70s, those up to 72 years of age, to drive up to an eight-seater. And I take that to mean an eight-seater and a driver. Some companies use that, and particularly for special needs, as a small step in the right direction. I acknowledge that. But it's a very, very small step. You need to go two steps further Taoiseach, and you need to be practical. You need to introduce it from minibuses up to 16-seaters, and also bring the limit up to 74 or 75, provided you have the strict medical test, which has been announced along with this. In fact, it's a twice yearly that I heard the Minister saying two weeks ago. So you've built in that. That deals with the concerns around health and ability. Extra drivers will be needed in September. Leash has lost several drivers over the last two years because they hit 70 years of age and they're gone. Taoiseach to respond. So we need to put in practical, sensible steps and move two steps further, Taoiseach. First of all, Deputy, I did advocate very strongly with Minister Kenney, and indeed Minister Dara O'Brien and Minister Kenney responded. But it's CIE, like it's Bos Airden, and they have responsibilities too, and the board has responsibilities. We write the check, but when it comes to safety and health and safety and the protection of children, there are balances here, and the buck stops with the company, if we're honest, in the end of the day. I would hope that this initial breakthrough, where up to eight children can be driven by people over 70 to 72, I would like it more expanded, but maybe we'll learn lessons from this one, see how it works, and hopefully be in a position to expand it more.