Bus Éireann has pleaded guilty to two charges connected to the Navan bus crash that killed five schoolgirls.
Bus Éireann is one of three firms standing trial at Trim Circuit Court over the crash.
Emergency services at the scene of the Kentstown bus crash in May 2005
The bus company was accused of failing to maintain the coach that overturned on a country road near Kentstown on May 23rd, 2005 in a safe condition.
It was further charged with failing to provide information and training on the bus's ABS breaking system to driver John Hubble.
When the charges were read to company secretary Martin Nolan, he replied on both occasions: "guilty."
Two other firms are standing trial - Keltank Limited, Balbriggan, Co Dublin - which serviced the vehicle - and inspection firm McArdles Test Centre Ltd, Dundalk. These two firms are facing separate charges.
A short time into the hearing, the jury was released until tomorrow morning so Judge Thomas Teehan to hear legal arguments. Roadworks were being completed at the time on the stretch of road near the crash by contractors employed by Meath County Council. The council has already pleaded guilty to having no project supervisor in place or having a health and safety plan.
Initially the council pleaded not guilty but later altered that plea and will be sentenced at the end of the trial.
The trial is expected to last three to four weeks, but extra time has been allocated at the Trim courthouse if it is needed. Eighty witnesses are expected to be called.
No individuals have been charged over the crash.
Claire McCluskey (18), Deirdre Scanlon (17), Lisa Callan (15), Aimee McCabe (15) and Sinead Ledwidge (15) died in the crash. They were students of St Michael's Loreto Convent in Navan and Beaufort College, Navan. Forty-six children were injured.
The bus had no seat belts and was operating the so-called two-for-three seating arrangement where three youngsters could share a seat designed for two adults. All 3,000 buses in the school transport system have since been fitted with seat belts.