Debate contribution: Safety at School Bus Stops

Debate contribution by Mr Patsy McGlone on 2 June 2025.

MLA

Mr Patsy McGlone

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

2 June 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Safety at School Bus Stops

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4981315

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I thank all Members from different parties who contributed to this important debate. The contributions have reflected a shared understanding across the Floor that the safety of children at school bus stops cannot be left to chance.

I especially acknowledge the families and the doctors who are in the Public Gallery. The families have experienced, in the most devastating way, the consequences of a system that does not go far enough to protect our children. Their presence today is a powerful reminder that this is not just a policy issue. It is not just about legislation or infrastructure; it is about people. It is about families and about children who leave their home in the morning and deserve to come back safely and well in the afternoon. To those families, I say this: thank you for your courage in being here today. Your loss has touched hearts across the Chamber and across the community. Nothing that is said here today can undo the pain that you have suffered, but I hope that you take some comfort in knowing that your determination and advocacy are already making a difference. The debate is happening because you spoke out and because people listened. The motion notes that, at present, there is no legal requirement for vehicles to stop when a school bus picks up or drops off pupils. The absence of legal clarity leaves children exposed to completely avoidable danger, especially, as was mentioned multiple times in the Chamber, in rural areas, where visibility is limited, road layouts are often poor and vehicle speeds can be dangerously high. We have heard about near misses and close calls, but we have also heard about real tragedies, including those marked by the families sitting with us today. Unfortunately, those are not rare, isolated incidents. They are the direct result of legal and policy gaps that must be closed. As we have heard, many jurisdictions around the world have introduced clear and enforceable laws requiring vehicles to stop when school buses collect or drop off children. In parts of the US, Canada and elsewhere, drivers know the law: when the lights flash, you stop. You do not slow down or hope for the best; you stop, and that saves lives. The children of Northern Ireland deserve no less. The motion calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to introduce legislation that will bring us into line with international best practice. The legislation must be robust, enforceable and developed in consultation with all the relevant agencies, including Translink, the PSNI and education bodies, and the Minister said that she intends to speak to the Minister of Education about it. Above all, it must be developed with urgency, hopefully within the mandate, because every day that we delay is another day that children stand at the roadside, hoping that the driver coming towards them is paying attention. That is not a sustainable position. It is not acceptable. I recognise that legislative change can take time, but I am glad that the focus of today's debate has acted as somewhat of a catalyst. We cannot wait until another family experiences the heartbreak that has already befallen those in the Public Gallery. If we truly believe in protecting children, we must act as though their lives depend on it, because they do. The motion is a call not just for a law but for a culture change — for a road safety culture that places children first; for a public awareness campaign that leaves no ambiguity; and for a clear and enforceable message: when a school bus stops, so do you. Let us honour the memory of those who have been lost. Let us support those who continue to grieve. Let us work together across parties and across communities to ensure that no other family has to sit in the Public Gallery because of something that could have been prevented.

657 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:45 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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