Courts / Ireland / Report

Autistic teen sues Bus Eireann over ban for alleged assaults

Summary

In a High Court case, a 13‑year‑old autistic boy has challenged Bus Eireann's decision to ban him from its school bus service. The boy was suspended in early June after an incident in which he was accused of assaulting two other children, the bus driver and an escort. The alleged assaults were described as minor. Bus Eireann, which operates the School Transport Service for the Department of Education, said it had permanently excluded the boy following a meeting with his parents, who were told the guidelines did not apply to special‑needs children. The parents claim the decision was unfair and that the boy was denied fair procedures, noting that no inquiry was made into his version of events. They seek to quash the ban, have the guidelines applied to children with disabilities, and obtain declarations that Bus Eireann erred in law and breached the boy's rights.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Autistic teen sues Bus Eireann over ban for alleged assaults. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• 2014-07-07 Publication

Why: They are also seeking a declaration that the 'Bus Eireann Guidelines for Discipline and the Procedure for Dealing with Alleged Misbehaviour on School Transport' apply to children with disability and special needs because they are entitled to the same protection afforded to other children. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report