Eighteen secondary schoolchildren were injured when the bus bringing them home from Castleknock College collided with an articulated lorry on the Dublin side of Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, at 5.25 p.m. yesterday.
The injured were taken to the Mater Hospital, Dublin, and Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. A spokeswoman for the Mater said they were "assessing" the injuries, while the two brought to Our Lady's Hospital were later discharged.
It is understood the pupils were coming home late from school because they had been playing rugby in the afternoon. There were 30 pupils, aged between 13 and 18, on the bus at the time.
Five ambulances and units of Dublin, Dunshaughlin, Navan and Trim fire brigades were at the scene. The Garda Traffic Unit from Dublin was also present to assist local gardai. i in traffic control. A number of people had to be cut from the damaged vehicles, and the road was blocked for over three hours.
Insp Charlie Devine, of Ashbourne Garda station, said the crash occurred after the bus pulled in to allow some of the pupils off. It was travelling towards Dunshaughlin.
The articulated lorry was also travelling towards Dunshaughlin when it collided with the back of the bus. The driver of the lorry was taken to the Mater Hospital, but was not believed to be seriously injured.
About 100 live sheep which were being transported in the lorry were examined by a veterinary surgeon.