A teenage girl who verbally abused a driver had a special bus and taxi laid on for her.
Ms Aisling O'Connor, who is now 25, had a bus to herself from Kinsale to Cork, a distance of nearly 20 miles, after the driver of the scheduled bus banned her from taking the daily service.
Ms O'Connor of Washington Street, Cork, had a disagreement with bus driver, Mr Ciaran Long, in July 1996.
Mr Donal O'Sullivan, for the plaintiff, said his client was banned from the bus by the driver because of her behaviour. In October 1996 her mother complained to Bus Éireann Ms O'Connor apologised to a representative the following April. However, she never apologised to the bus driver and he continued to refuse to let her on the bus.
At a sitting of the Circuit Court in Mallow yesterday she made a claim for damages for slander and breach of duties against Bus Éireann and the driver.
The court heard that in September 1997, when she tried to board the Kinsale bus, Mr Long said at the top of his voice "You abused me. It is the police you will be getting, not the inspector. I am going to get the guards." The driver was said to have repeated those words up to four times in front of a packed bus.
The court was told Bus Éireann laid on a special bus or a taxi for Ms O'Connor at the same time as the scheduled bus was leaving for Cork. In effect the plaintiff was travelling in front of or just behind the public bus.
Disciplinary action was taken against the bus driver but he still wouldn't allow the plaintiff on his route.
Defence counsel, Mr Dermot Sheahan, said the bus driver had wanted Ms O'Connor to apologise to him personally. He said when she tried to board the bus on one occasion, she told the driver she "didn't apologise to the manager". Judge Gerald Keys said the case sounded "like a joke", adding that the plaintiff should have made a formal apology to the bus driver.
"I would have thought it is basic manners. Shouldn't the apology be to Mr Long, not to Bus Éireann." He urged both sides to reach some sort of agreement.
The plaintiff's barrister, Mr O'Sullivan, returned to the court and said a settlement had been made in the case. He apologised to Mr Long and Bus Éireann on behalf of his client.
Mr Sheahan said Mr Long would now be quite happy to allow Ms O'Connor to travel on his bus route. Judge Keys said he was glad the case had been concluded in such a manner.