Gardaí are investigating an alleged sexual assault of a 15 year-old schoolgirl in Co Waterford.
A Bus Éireann driver has taken the past 10 days off sick with stress after a 16-year-old girl reported having sex with him at the end of a scheduled bus run in the evening.
It is understood the alleged incident occurred on a bus he had been driving in Co Waterford on Friday December 5. No other passengers were on board at the time of the alleged attack.
Gardaí confirmed detectives were investigating an allegation that a teenage girl had been sexually assaulted.
“A complaint was made to gardai in Waterford on December 6 and all aspects of the allegation are being investigated,” a garda spokesman said.
One man was arrested the following day and later released without charge. A number of searches have been carried out including on the bus, but it is unclear if gardai have recovered CCTV footage from the vehicle or if a mobile phone was examined.
It is understood the teenage girl has claimed the pair had consensual sex. The legal age of consent is 17. No one has been charged and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A spokesman for Bus Eireann insisted the company could not comment on individual employees but added: “We will be assisting gardaí with all their inquiries.”
An internal investigation is also under way at the company.