Two separate investigations are being carried out after a woman died and a number of others including a three-year-old child were injured when a bus and car collided near Navan, Co Meath yesterday evening.
The woman, who was in her 30s, was driving the car and travelling with her niece when the collision occurred at about 6.10pm on the N3 Kells road, on the outskirts of Navan.
The woman was fatally injured and was pronounced dead at Our lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
Her three-year-old passenger was also taken to the hospital with injuries, which were later described as not life threatening.
The driver of the bus and 10 of the 53 passengers were also taken to Our Lady of Lourdes with minor injuries.
A Garda investigation into the cause of the crash was conducted last night by a forensic collision investigating officer.
Bus Éireann spokeswoman Suzanne Altman said this morning that the company would be conducting its own investigation into the crash, and co-operating fully with the Garda inquiry.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased person’s family and friends,” she said.
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses and have asked anyone with information to contact Navan Garda station at 046-9079930, the Garda confidential telephone line 1800-666111 or any Garda station.
The woman’s death brings to 142 the number of people who have died on the State’s roads this year.
After a separate collision in Killiney in Co Dublin last night, four people including a one-year-old boy were taken to hospital as a precaution. The crash occurred on Dalkey road at about 8pm. Drivers and passengers were treated at Tallaght and St Vincent’s hospitals.