Full of life. Bright and bubbly. Gifted. Straight A student. A born leader.
It comes following Monday’s tragic school bus crash in Navan, Co Meath, in which five girls were killed.
“We have people in this country avoiding tax by revamping yachts and we cannot revamp our school buses,” said council spokeswoman Eleanor Petrie. “We have been waiting for an accident like this to happen and sadly now it has.”
But the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Síle De Valera, said the Government would take no action until the garda, Bus Éireann and the Health and Safety Authority had completed their investigations of the accident.
“The factors which have contributed to this devastating accident must clearly be analysed and examined before we consider the appropriate action to take,” she told the Dáil.
The Government believes it would cost around €100 million to increase Bus Éireann’s fleet by sufficient numbers so every child has their own seat.
Hundreds of people lined the streets of Navan last evening as the five hearses carrying the bodies of the young girls moved in slow and silent procession through the town. Young girls wept as the hearses, led by a garda motorcycle outrider, passed through the narrow streets around 6.30pm. The coffins were being moved from Our Lady’s Hospital to the homes of the five teenagers.
Four of the five girls will be buried tomorrow.
Counsellors have moved into both secondary and primary schools in the area to try to help those affected to cope with the trauma.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is expected to visit Navan or Drogheda, where several victims remain in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, today.
In the Dáil, Mr Ahern led the expressions of sympathy to the victims of the crash.
“The whole country send their prayers and heartfelt sympathies to the five families of these fine young girls. Our thoughts too are with the injured who are not only physically but also emotionally hurt by this awful event,” said Mr Ahern.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a letter to the Taoiseach expressing his sympathies to all those affected by the crash.
Bus Éireann yesterday announced an eight-member enquiry team headed by former Assistant Garda Commissioner Jim McHugh to carry out its investigation.
Garda crash investigators spent much of yesterday at the scene of the accident searching for clues. Gardaí last night briefly questioned the driver of the bus, who has been released from hospital. Interviews have also begun with those who were aboard the bus.
However, officers are still waiting to interview the drivers of the two cars that also crashed at the scene, as they remain in a stable condition in hospital, together with six other victims.
A source close to the investigation said last night initial tests on the bus had ruled out mechanical failure as a cause of the crash. The probe was concentrating on the state of the road, weather conditions and the possibility of human error.
Junior Transport Minister Ivor Callely told the Irish Examiner he would not prejudge the various investigations but pledged to heed their findings. “Whatever recommendations are made following investigation must be followed. If that means spending money, it must be done,” said Mr Callely.
Aged 15, Newtown, Beauparc, Navan
LISA was instantly recognisable in St Michael's and evoked envy in her classmates in the nicest possible way.
Very pretty with long blonde hair that was her pride, she had buckets of talent in many varied pursuits.
Full of life, she loved sports but was also very artistic and musical and played bass guitar.
Although only in her Junior Cert year, she was a forward looking teenager and had already made her mind up about her career.
Her dream was to be an architect and create buildings with as much imagination and style as practicality. Lisa had just one sibling, a brother.
Aged 18, Rathdrinagh, Beauparc, Navan
CLARE was a senior prefect at St Micheal’s where she was known as very outgoing, friendly and popular.
Described as having a “very bright and bubbly” personality, she was also academically very gifted.
She had a quiet confidence about her and was approaching the leaving cert with good humour and can-do attitude.
Clare was the middle of three girls who all wore the St michael’s uniform. Her older sister left the school a few years ago.
Her younger sister, Anita, who is first year student, was also on the bus when it crashed but escaped with minor injuries.
Aged 15, Senthalstown, Navan
VIVACIOUS Sinead was a model student at Beaufort College where she combined a wide range of interests with an all-round talent for achievement.
She loved sport and was crowned Leinster Champion in the shot putt at Santry Stadium just a week ago.
Sinead was also gifted creatively and wrote poetry that was much admirted by her English class. French was another forte and she also sketched beautifully and had pieces of her work on the schools walks to prove it.
Aged 17, Yellow Furze, Beauparc, Navan
ONE of just two sisters, Deirdre would have celebrated her 18th birthday in two month’s time. A straight A student, she was highly academic and had a particular gift for mathematics.
Deirdre didn’t let her schoolwork overrun her life, and loved to be involved in sports too, helping to bolster St Michael’s strong tradition in hockey.
She still found time to be involved in the school’s peer mediation programme as was known to be great with younger students who found settling into life in second level a challenge.
Deirdre wanted to become an accountant.
Her older sister, Caitriona, sat her Leaving Cert at the school several years ago.
Aged 15, Hayestown, Navan
A BORN leader, Aimee had been class captain for all of her three years in St Michael’s. Ahe had the knack of combining a strong personality with ever present qualities of patience and good humour.
She had a natural instinct to be useful and was always first to offer help and take charge of chores.
Staff joked that she would happily take over organising the running of the school if they let her.
Aimee was the second of three girls. Her older sister, Sarah, left St Michael’s last year and is in the middle of college exams.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
