Seven students and one teacher have been discharged from St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny following a schoolbus crash.
Forty transition year students from Coláiste Phobal in Roscrea, Co Tipperary and their teachers were travelling to Kilkenny when the bus they were on was involved in a crash with a truck shortly before 10am yesterday at Dinan Bridge, Ardloo on the edge of the city.
The truck was travelling in the opposite direction, towards Ballyragget, when the crash occurred.
One student and one teacher still remain in hospital. Eight of the students and two teachers were rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
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The truck driver, a man aged in his 40s, was airlifted to Tallaght Hospital with serious injuries where he remains while the driver of the bus was brought to Midlands Hospital Tullamore and is in a stable condition.
President of the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG) and local Fianna Fáil councillor Pat Fitzpatrick said none of the children’s injuries were “life threatening”.
However Cllr Fitzpatrick said the area where the crash occurred is a “very dangerous stretch of road”.
“For a long time the dangers of that road (N77) are well known,” said Cllr Fitzapatick who added that he and other local representatives have been raising problems with the road to the relevant authorities.
He added that “safety measures” along the bridge such as “crash barriers” are badly needed as there is not enough room for two large vehicles to pass on it.
The N77 at Ardloo was closed for several hours after the incident to allow the Garda Forensics Unit to complete an investigation before reopening at 5.30pm.
Coláiste Phobal Roscrea and its patron, Tipperary Education and Training Board, issued a statement wishing those injured well.
In a statement the Secondary school said that the students and teachers involved “have received treatment for non-life threatening injuries at St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny, with one student and one teacher still in hospital at this time”.
The school extended best wishes to them, as well as the drivers of both vehicles, who are still receiving hospital treatment for their injuries.
“NEPS, the psychological support service of the Department of Education, are supporting the school, and the school’s Critical Incident Team has been convened. We will be working with staff and students affected to ensure they receive any necessary supports after experiencing this traumatic event,” the statement noted.
Gardaí in Kilkenny are continuing to appeal to witnesses and anyone with camera footage from the N77 in the vicinity of Ardaloo at the time of the crash to make contact on 056-7775000.
The road is the primary route to the west of Ireland from Kilkenny, Carlow and Wexford.
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