All school buses to be fitted with seat belts

PARENTS have welcomed a €25 million Government investment that will ensure all children travelling on school buses will be belted into their own seats by the end of next year.

Education Minster Mary Hanafin and Minister of State Síle de Valera made the announcement yesterday as investigations continued into the school bus crash which killed five girls near Navan, Co Meath, in May.

Under plans approved by Cabinet, 130 large buses and 250 private mini-buses will be added to the school bus fleet by December 2006.