Tánaiste Simon Harris backs Laois TD's call for over 70's bus drivers

Tánaiste Simon Harris has sided with Laois TD Brian Stanley to slam what he calls a "farcical" ban on over 70's school bus drivers.

Former Sinn Féin, now Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley raised the problem being caused by the ban on over 70-year-old school bus drivers in the Dáil, to the Tánaiste this February.

“The programme for Government commits to a review of the school transport scheme. The biggest obstacle within that scheme at the moment is the ban on drivers over 70.

“We have the ludicrous situation where such drivers cannot drive a minibus bringing ten pupils to school under the school transport scheme but later in the day they can drive a 72-seater bus full of children to the local swimming pool or on a bus tour to Dublin, Cork or Killarney. This is a crazy situation.

“Many of these drivers depend on this part-time work to supplement their pension income and operators are at their wits' end trying to recruit drivers. They have to let these people go when they reach 70. Once they pass it, that is it; they are fit to drive," Portlaoise based Deputy Stanley said.

The Tánaiste Simon Harris agreed but passed the book to the national bus company Bus Éireann.

“I must say I agree with the Deputy. This is a bizarre situation where somebody over the age of 70 can drive kids in a private bus to a soccer or GAA game at the weekend but cannot drive them to school in a Bus Eireann bus.

“It is either safe or it is not safe and the inconsistency in relation to this is quite farcical and annoying at a time when we are trying to get more drivers. I have raised it myself.

“I do not mean to say this in a way that infuriates the Deputy but it is, in the first instance, a matter for Bus Eireann. My colleague, the new Minister for State with responsibility for transport, intends to pursue this. There are people who are perfectly healthy and fit and well able to drive buses and the idea that they can drive any bus other than a Bus Eireann bus does not cut the mustard with me,” the Tánaiste said.