Call for schoolbus safety tests

Mayo Fine Gael TD Jim Higgins wants Education Minister Michael Woods to provide a number of school buses for independent tests on safety and road worthiness.

His call comes in the wake of a refusal by Bus Eireann to agree to the request.

Deputy Higgins said the "clapped out" state of many of the buses has the potential to cause a major disaster.

He said inspectors should be allowed make a random selection from the schoolbus fleet to check if they were fit to be on the road.