Kildare Superintendent leads way to prevent another tragedy for schoolchildren

A Co Kildare Superintendent is leading the way in ensuring that tragedy does not hit the county's schoolchildren, while travelling on a bus in the Kildare Garda District.

Superintendent Martin Walker, of Kildare Garda Division, headed a check of all school buses transporting secondary students in the District.

Following strict checks, Garda Mark Daly, Kildare, confirmed that all secondary school buses are in good working order.

This follows on from tragedies including the deaths of five young people on the Navan to Kentstown Road, in 2005, and in Clara, Co Offaly, in 2006, a teenager died on a collision in a school bus.

Five schoolgirls died and many other people were injured in the collision involving a crowded Bus Éireann school bus and two other vehicles.

The accident happened on the Navan to Kentstown Road.

Bus Éireann pleaded guilty to charges that it failed to ensure the bus was maintained in a safe condition in that the anti-locking breaking system (ABS) was not working and that it failed to instruct the driver of this. Also Meath County Council pleaded guilty to the charge that it failed to prepare a health and safety plan for the construction work on the road and that it failed to appoint a project supervisor in relation to the works. In 2008, Bus Éireann was fined €2m and Meath County Council and Keltank Ltd (a garage which serviced the bus) were each fined €100,000.

Bus Éireann told the Review that since 2005, all their school buses have been fitted with safety belts and that their fleet undergoes regular testing.

The names  of the deceased are etched into the open book monument at the site of the crash - they are Lisa Callan (15), Clare McCluskey (18), Aimee McCabe (15), Deirdre Scanlon (17) and Sinéad Ledwidge (15).