Bus crash inquests to be held next month

The inquests into the death of five schoolgirls in the Kentstown bus crash of May 2005 will open at Trim Courthouse on Monday, 11th August at 10am. Coroner John Lacy set the date after Bus Éireann indicated it would not be appealing the €2million fine imposed on it at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in early June, where lesser fines were imposed on Meath County Council and Keltank Ltd. The fines were imposed for breaches of health and safety legislation arising from the crash that happened two miles from Navan town on 23rd May 2005, which took the lives of Claire McCluskey, Deirdre Scanlon, Lisa Callan, Amy McCabe and Sinead Ledwidge. There were 46 other schoolchildren on the bus on the fatal day and the inquests are likely to hear evidence from some of them, as well as garda, technical and professional witnesses. Judge Patrick McCartan told the Circuit Criminal Court that the accident had been 'entirely avoidable' and while there were many contributing factors, 'an undoubted feature (was) the lack of ABS (brakes) which significantly contributed to it'. The Bus Eireann board decision not to appeal the fine came just days after the Judge"s ruling and shortly after a statement issued by the families of the five girls, through Deputy Shane McEntee. This made clear the families" wish that the state transport firm not appeal the fine. The Deputy stated the consideration of an appeal was 'totally abhorrent'.