THE INQUEST into the deaths of five schoolgirls in the Navan bus crash will give the families of the bereaved some sense of finality.
They have had to wait more than three years for the inquest to take place as the complicated criminal trial against Bus Éireann; Keltank Ltd, the firm that serviced the bus; and McArdle's Test Centre, which tested it, wound its way through the courts.
At one stage earlier this year, a trial date was set for January next year which would have set the inquest process back further, but a date was found earlier and the trial proceeded.
Much of the evidence given at yesterday's inquest was similar to that given at the trial which ended in June and resulted in a fine of €2 million on Bus Éireann and €100,000 each on the other two companies involved in the criminal prosecution.
The failure of the anti-lock braking system was also identified at the criminal trial as the main cause of the incident, which Judge Patrick McCartan said had been "entirely avoidable" had the system been working.
The inquest was allowed to go ahead when Bus Éireann decided not to appeal the fine. Coroner John Lacey told the families yesterday that they could leave the room if they did not want to hear the evidence of how their loved ones had died. They all remained.
Dublin city coroner Dr Brian Farrell, who read the pathology reports for all five girls, said they had died of injuries consistent with a traffic accident where a vehicle had rolled over.
Claire McCluskey, from Beaupark, Navan, (18), the eldest victim, had severe chest and abdominal injuries; Deirdre Scanlon (17) also from Beaupark, Navan, fractured her skull in the crash; Lisa Callan (15), the third person from Beaupark, incurred fatal spine injuries; Aimee McCabe (15), from Hayestown, Navan, died of severe trauma to her head and abdominal area; and Sinéad Ledwidge (15), from Senchalstown, Navan suffered injuries to her lungs and abdominal area.
Mr Lacey acknowledged that it marked the end of a "long legal process" for the families. Neither they nor the Garda commented after the inquest verdict was read out.
There will be no further legal action in relation to the Navan crash unless somebody decides to take a private prosecution.
