A DONEGAL bus company owner has been fined €1,800 after schoolchildren with special needs were found being transported on a defective vehicle.
Letterkenny District Court on Monday heard how gardai had to take three children and a teacher home from school in a patrol car because the vehicle they were being transported in had eight major defects.
Stephen McDaid appeared before Letterkenny District Court charged in connection with the incident.
The charge is contrary to Section 54 (2) and 4 Road Traffic Act (2) 2011 as amended by section 46B (I ) of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) Commercial Vehicle Road Worthiness Act 2012.
McDaid (45), Stackarnagh, Churchill, runs a fleet of 13 vehicles, the court was told.
Sergeant Vincent Muldoon told the court how gardaí were alerted to the minibus at Crieve, Letterkenny, on June 16, 2025, when they detected its driver not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver was stopped and the vehicle was subsequently found to be dangerous and defective following an examination by a Road Safety Inspector. The vehicle was found to have five defects relating to tyres and three in connection with the brakes.
The court heard special needs children were on board the vehicle at the time in question. Sergeant Muldoon told the court that he had to take the three children and their teacher to their homes in the patrol car.
The court was told a separate case in relation to the same incident is being taken against the driver of the bus.
McDaid has no previous convictions, the court was told.
Solicitor for McDaid, Michael Shiel told the court that his client was not the driver of the vehicle, and that he allowed some of his drivers to keep their vehicles at their own properties.
“The buck stops with him and he fully accepts that,” said Mr Shiel, who told the court that it is also accepted that when the Road Safety Authority visited McDaid’s company in the aftermath of the incident, a number of issues were recorded with some vehicles. However, he added that a further follow-up inspection of his client’s fleet found everything was in order.
“This was part of a Bus Éireann fleet and all vehicles were recalled. All have been passed now, and Mr McDaid is still employed by CIE.
“He now has a mechanic who inspects the buses each week. All vehicles are now kept at the yard. He has 13 vehicles in his fleet. He has been in the transport business for 12 years,” Mr Shiel told the court.
The court was told McDaid had paid €3,500 in inspection costs.
“He has instructed me to tender a guilty plea. He has rectified all matters at this stage,” added Mr Shiel.
Judge Emile Daly outlined to the court that the penalty for the charge was a fine of up to €5,000 and up to three months in prison.
Passing sentence, Judge Daly said: “This is a business involving transport, and in this instance, transferring primary schoolchildren. If one was to ensure a vehicle was safe on the road, this should be it. The three children on the bus had to be brought home by gardai.”
She accepted McDaid’s early plea, his clean record with no previous convictions and the fact that his business has experienced longevity.
Judge Daly convicted and fined McDaid €1,800, and gave him four months to pay. Mr Shiel asked for recognisance to be fixed.
A separate case against the bus driver was adjourned until March 9, 2026 for a plea or date.
