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.

The Government also gave the go-ahead for the fitting of lap belts to all school bus seats, beginning on the 560 Bus Éireann vehicles which make up around one-fifth of the school bus fleet from September. The aim is to have all the remaining 2,300 private buses fitted with belts by the end of next year.

The running costs of the new buses will add €11m to the annual school transport budget, which is currently over €116.5m.

The National Parents Council (Post-Primary), which had threatened to boycott school buses from September, acknowledged the ministers’ work to secure the resources but said all measures should be implemented before the end of next year.

“We would also like to see supervisors on school buses. Drivers cannot be expected to keep an eye on 50 children at all times,” said council president Eleanor Petrie.

The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) said measures such as training of pupils on boarding and alighting, flashing lights on the back of buses and clear colour coding of school transport vehicles should also be introduced.

Labour Party education spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan expressed concern only lap belts were being used when research suggests harness-type belts offer most safety for small children.