Memorial project plea from bus crash families

The bereaved families of the five schoolgirls who died in the Navan bus accident three years ago are to make a direct request to the Minister for Finance for funding to undertake a memorial project to be organised in their memory. As the three-year legal process following the girls" tragic 2005 deaths ended at an inquest held in Trim this week, it emerged that the families have discussed among themselves what type of appropriate project could be organised which would be a lasting tribute to their memories. A source close to the families said: 'A project involving the hospitals where the deceased girls and those injured were taken was one of the ideas discussed but nothing has been finalised. It may take some time before any projects are finalised.' Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan will hear a direct request from the families that some, if not all, of the €2 million court fine imposed on Bus Eireann in connection with the Mooretown crash last June should be put towards a memorial project which would be suggested by the families. The company, which owned the bus involved in the May 2005 incident, was prosecuted under health and safety legislation and fined a record amount. It emerged that the ABS (anti-lock braking system) on the bus was inoperative and that a bulb in a warning device designed to alert the driver to this fact was out of action. Meath County Coroner John Lacy agreed with a Garda expert who gave evidence at the inquest that the accident could have been avoided if the ABS system had been operating. A jury at the inquests in Trim this week into the into the deaths of Clare McCluskey (17), Deirdre Scanlon (17), Aimee McCabe (15), Lisa Callan (14) and Sinead Ledwidge (14) decided that they had died accidentally from multiple injuries which were consistent with their being passengers in a vehicle which had rolled over. The planned meeting between Minister Lenihan and the families was revealed by Deputy Shane McEntee, who has been acting as a liaison point for the families. He said that a decision had been made by the families that they wanted to speak to the minister directly about the question of a memorial project. Mr Lenihan is currently on holiday. However, Deputy McEntee said that Mr Lenihan had intimated through his office that he would be willing to meet the families. 'The decision to have a meeting between the families and the minister has been made and the families are pleased about that. They are anxious to put forward their views on a suitable memorial project. I am sure that this will be part of the healing process for them after all they have had to go through over the last three years,' he said. At Monday"s inquest, the coroner expressed his deepest sympathy to all the families arising from what he termed 'this terrible tragedy that should not have happened'. Mr Lacy said that not only had the families had to endure the deaths of their daughters, but they also had to go through legal processes that had lasted for three years. The families sat together in a reserved portion of the main courtroom in Trim throughout Monday"s proceedings. After the jury had delivered its verdict, Mr lacy described the families as 'a most courageous and brave group of people who had endured this terrible burden'. Sympathy was also expressed by Superintendent Michael Devine, on behalf of the Gardai, and by Martin Nolan, chief operating officer of Bus Eireann, on behalf of the company. Meath County Council came in for strong criticism this week for its failure to have a representative at the inquest to express its sympathy to the families on a personal basis. Deputy McEntee said that it was 'unforgivable' that the council had not seen fit to send a representative to the inquest. A council spokesperson said this week that it would not be making any comment on the outcome of the inquest but would await the coroner"s report, and attached riders, to decide if further action needed to be taken by the council.