Meath County Council has pleaded not guilty to charges brought against it following the investigation into the school bus crash at Kentstown that claimed the lives of five schoolgirls nearly 18 months ago.
At Navan District Court yesterday formal pleas of not guilty were entered on its behalf by barrister Kevin Seagrave, and Judge John Brophy sent it forward for trial at next month's sitting of Trim Circuit Court.
However, the judge remarked that the case would not proceed then because the president of the Circuit Court would "have to send down an additional judge to hear it". The judge said there were around 80 witnesses and many professional witnesses and the trial could last up to three weeks.
At the time of the accident on May 23rd, 2005 there had been road works under way and Meath County Council was prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions following a Health and Safety Authority (HSA) investigation. It is accused of failing to appoint a project supervisor for the construction stage of the project and of failing to provide information for the project supervisor.
Yesterday a third charge was brought by way of summons alleging it had, as an employer, failed to ensure that a named senior executive engineer was aware of or trained to undertake organisational responsibility.
The third charge has been adjourned to November 22nd and the court heard it is anticipated it will at a later date be added to the indictment before the Circuit Court.
Two weeks ago at Navan District Court, Bus Éireann and maintenance company Keltank Limited were sent forward for trial on other charges relating to the accident.
It is understood that one more company is still to come before the courts following the investigation by the HSA. That prosecution is expected to proceed shortly.