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[Press Release: August 19th, 2005] Hanafin must act to tackle confusion over school bus service and safety issues say Greens- Catchment areas and boundaries must be reviewed nationwide says de Burca- Safety concerns raised over lap belts Green Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca has called on Education Minister Mary Hanafin to clarify what action she will take to ensure that students who currently attend schools outside their bus catchment areas can continue to avail of the school bus system. She has called for a nationwide review of catchment areas and boundaries. The Green Party has also raised concerns about plans to introduce lap belts and has called for further debate on the issue. According to Cllr de Burca, confusion exists among many families following the decision by the Department of Education and Science to end the ‘3 for 2’ seating scheme on buses carrying second level students. As a result, the Department has stated that concessionary passengers - including students attending schools outside their catchment areas - may not be guaranteed seating. "There is major tension brewing over this whole issue. Many parents have already paid for bus tickets and now do not know if their children will be carried on the bus. Parents fear that they may have to change school with huge expense and trauma to all concerned," stated de Burca. "The decision to end the 3 for 2 scheme this coming term for second level students is to be welcomed, as is the investment in new buses. But contingency measures need to be put in place to ensure that no students are put out. The Minister needs to provide clarity on this issue as well as a guarantee that this year, the students in question will be provided with some form of school transport." As part of a medium term solution, the Green Party nationally has reiterated its call for a country-wide review of the catchment areas for school bus routes in thewake of widespread social and demographic changes. "The Green Party has raised this with Minister Hanafin and her predecessor but they were more interested in tinkering with the system. Problems with the school bus catchment areas are now arising on a regular basis. The Government can no longer ignore the pressing need for an extensive nationwide review." "The last time the catchment areas were reviewed was in 1969. Ireland has seen significant changes in the distribution of population and in educational practices since then. Our society has become increasingly urban and new systems of education such as multi-denominational schools have been added into the mix. In the face of such dramatic change, a review of catchment areas and boundaries is long overdue. Thirty six years is too long to wait." "We need to bring school bus transport into the 21st century. Parents now have more choice as to what type of education they want for their child. As demographics have changed, the catchment areas and boundaries will also have to change." Lap belt safety queryThe Green Party has also called for a detailed debate on the Department's proposals to introduce lap belts into school buses. The Party claims that lap belts are potentially more dangerous than no seat belt at all and that three point shoulder harnesses would be a better option."Deputy Paul Gogarty has already outlined my concerns at Dáil Committee level regarding the retrofitting of seat belts. It is difficult from an engineering point of view to retrofit three point shoulder harnesses into existing buses, which is presumably why the Department is fitting lap belts. However lap belts have the potential to cause stomach and head injuries in children who would not have been injured at all if they weren't restrained," he said. "In some instances, particularly in larger buses which benefit from passive restraint features known as compartmentalization, it might be better to have no belt at all, rather than a lap belt. The only seat belt that seems to offer real safety is a three-point shoulder harness. These should be fitted in all new buses ordered by the Department. The Minister needs to explain why this is not going to happen, whether it will happen in the future and whether it is cost or the practicalities of supply that is pushing her towards a safety option that is itself under scrutiny internationally. If we are really serious about providing safe transport for our children then we need to examine and debate this issue closely," stated Deputy Gogarty.
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