The boy who fell from an emergency exit of a school bus on Monday remained in a stable condition at Beaumont Hospital last night.
The 13-year-old was a passenger on a Bus Éireann vehicle which was travelling from Castleblayney College in the direction of Keady.
The bus was near the village of Oram, Co Monaghan, when the emergency buzzer sounded, indicating that the back exit door was open. The driver stopped immediately and found the teenager in a "confused and dazed state" on the road, a Bus Éireann spokesman said.
He was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and later transferred to Beaumont Hospital, which specialises in treating head injuries.
Yesterday, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen expressed concern about the incident. "Thankfully the bus was only going less than 10 miles an hour," he said.
"Interestingly, this bus was fully fitted with safety belts. Notices were clear to the children to wear the safety belts." He said Bus Éireann had also written to all parents telling them that seatbelts were now fitted and that their children should wear them.
There were 16 children on the bus, which has a capacity for 49. Bus Éireann and the Garda have begun investigations into the incident. This came a day before 32 children had a narrow escape when their bus went on fire in Athboy, Co Meath.
Despite the recent spate of incidents, Mr Cullen said the State had "one of the best international records of safety in terms of school buses". He said the independent review of the school transport system announced this week would highlight any shortcomings in the system.May 16th: 32 children have a narrow escape when bus goes on fire in Co Meath.
School bus problems: recent incidents
May 15th: A 13-year-old boy falls from the emergency exit of a school bus near Oram, Co Monaghan.
April 28th: A school bus and waste disposal lorry are involved in a collision near Tulsk, Co Roscommon. Seven teenagers and driver are taken to hospital.
April 4th: Michael White (15) dies after the bus in which he is travelling crashes near the village of Clara, Co Offaly.
May 23rd, 2005: Five teenage school girls die when their bus crashes at Kentstown, near Navan
