Brian Stanley urges raising school minibus age limit to 75
Brian Stanley addressed the school bus scheme and called for the maximum age for school minibus drivers to be extended to 75 on condition they pass a strict test. He argued the rule is inconsistent because drivers over 70 can operate 50- and 60-seater private coaches and long distances but cannot drive 12- or 14-seater minibuses to local schools, contributing to a shortage of part-time drivers.
He proposed extending the age limit to 75 provided drivers pass a strict assessment, presenting it as a common-sense change to support expansion of the school transport scheme.
He pointed out the anomaly that someone over 70 can legally drive larger coaches and take children long distances but is barred from driving small school minibuses locally, giving the example of a 71-year-old who could drive kids to a football match but not to school.
He emphasised that school bus driving is often a part-time role suited to retired people aged between 60 and 70 and said the current restriction is already contributing to a shortage of school bus drivers.
He said he first raised the issue in the first week of February, that local media had previously reported on the matter, and that while some government colleagues support the proposal there remains significant institutional resistance from the minister and officials.
He urged the government to "catch and fix" the problem and said recent remarks had "riled" him up to press the case again, indicating he will continue to pursue the change in the Chamber and with the minister.
Proposal
He proposed extending the age limit to 75 provided drivers pass a strict assessment, presenting it as a common-sense change to support expansion of the school transport scheme.
Inconsistency highlighted
He pointed out the anomaly that someone over 70 can legally drive larger coaches and take children long distances but is barred from driving small school minibuses locally, giving the example of a 71-year-old who could drive kids to a football match but not to school.
Driver shortage and practical impact
He emphasised that school bus driving is often a part-time role suited to retired people aged between 60 and 70 and said the current restriction is already contributing to a shortage of school bus drivers.
Political response and resistance
He said he first raised the issue in the first week of February, that local media had previously reported on the matter, and that while some government colleagues support the proposal there remains significant institutional resistance from the minister and officials.
Next steps and determination
He urged the government to "catch and fix" the problem and said recent remarks had "riled" him up to press the case again, indicating he will continue to pursue the change in the Chamber and with the minister.
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Transcript
on bus drivers from the school bus scheme that are 70 or over 70 years of age. I raised the which back in the first week in February and pointed out the following, that as a part-time job most of the drivers are retired from their full-time career and are aged between 60 and 70 years of age. Over 70s can drive 50 and 60-seater private coaches and long distances but they can't drive a 12 or 14-seater minibus to the local school. The government are committed to expanding the school transport scheme. What I am proposing is that you extend the age to 75 on condition that drivers pass a strict test and the local media picked up on the last time we raised this which and they said tarnished to Simon Harris back Leach TD's call for over 70s drivers. So you became popular with the 69-year-old bus drivers in Leach. So I could say to you that you know that you said at that time that is quite farcical, it is a bizarre situation. Now we have been back and forward to the Minister since and I have raised it a number of times since in the Chamber. This is something that we can do and you will not, there is a problem already with drivers, there is a shortage of school bus drivers because it is a part-time position and it suits retired people. I am asking you to fix this, this needs to be caught and fixed. I hope we can do it. I find myself in the, I hope it doesn't make you uneasy, but I find myself in agreement in relation to this issue and I have been, and not alone I must acknowledge, I have been with a number of government colleagues trying to pursue this. There is, let us call it significant institutional resistance in relation to what I see as a very common sense proposal. You could have somebody who is, I am trying to work my way through it, but you could have somebody who is, you know, 71 years of age who could drive kids to a football match, but that same person could not drive the same kids to their school. If it is safe to drive them to the football match, it must be safe to drive them. It has to be logical here. Buzz Aaron has a very specific view on this, I think they are entirely wrong, and I will now on foot of you, you have riled me up to raise this issue again.