Garda probe into fatal schoolbus crash complete

The garda investigation into May’s bus crash near Navan, which killed five schoolgirls, is complete and has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, it emerged tonight.

The Garda Press Office confirmed that it had sent the full investigation file to the DPP.

Bus Eireann said last month that its independent report into the accident would be published at the end of September.

It said its Committee of Inquiry had made substantial progress but required further time to fully complete its investigations.

A Bus Eireann spokesperson said tonight that the report was due “very shortly”.

Five schoolgirls died and 17 people, including 15 teenagers, were injured after the schoolbus overturned at Casey’s Cross at Kentstown near Navan on May 23.

The dead were named as Lisa Callan, 15, Sinead Ledwidge, 15, Amy McCabe, 15, Claire McCluskey, 18, and Deirdre Scanlon, 17 from the Navan area.

Four of them had been due to sit the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert exams in the following days.

It emerged that the bus had not been fitted with seat-belts which led to Opposition demands on the Government to improve passenger safety on such vehicles.

The Garda Press Office statement said tonight: “The garda investigation into the fatal bus crash at Moorestown, Navan, Co Meath on May 23 last is now complete and a full investigation file has been submitted to the Director Of Public Prosecutions.”

A third investigation into the crash is still being carried out by the Health and Safety Authority.