Twenty-two schoolgirls were brought to hospital last Tuesday following a road traffic accident involving a Navan school bus.

The bus was taking the girls to St Michael's College in Navan, Co Meath, when it was involved in a collision with a lorry.

It is understood that the bus left the road and veered into a ditch, shattering its windows on one side.

Some 15 "walking wounded" were transported Eireann bus to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Co Louth, by bus. Four of the girls were brought to the hospital by ambulance and three more were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Navan, also by ambulance. The children were assessed by doctors, but none were admitted to hospital.

This recent incident came less that a week after an accident in Galway when four schoolgirls fell through the rear window of a bus operated by Bus Eireann.

Following that accident, the Minister of State for Education, Willie O'Dea, announced a safety review of school buses. However, there are no plans to make seatbelts compulsory on school buses.

Speaking in the Dail last Thursday, the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, said: "I have asked my Department, in co-operation with Bus Eireann, to review safety procedures on school buses. This review will examine in detail current safety procedures and all areas where improvements can be put in place to ensure a safer service for our children."