A bus driver was shot in the face with an air gun while working on a route in Limerick, a trade union has said.
Gardaí are investigating the incident which happened on the 303 bus in the O’Malley Park area of the city. The driver, aged in her 30s, was reported to have sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital as a precaution.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said the driver was only in her second week of operating services for Bus Éireann. She was approached by a group of youths at a bus stop who refused to pay their fare and threatened the woman to let them on board, it said in a statement.
“The driver became very frightened and intimidated by the gang and decided to let them on,” the union said. “When leaving the bus one member of the gang produced an air gun and shot the female driver in the face, hitting her just below the eye.”
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The NBRU said the “appalling incident” once again demonstrated the immediate requirement for a dedicated Garda Public Transport Unit to be established.
Bus Éireann said it was investigating the incident, which had also been referred to An Garda Síochána. It said services had been removed from the route while gardaí investigate. “Intending passengers are encouraged to check the Service Updates section of our website for updates,” the company said in a statement.
The company said it “does not tolerate antisocial or criminal behaviour” towards customers or staff.
“The safety of our passengers and staff is of paramount importance to Bus Éireann and any incidents reported are taken very seriously and are fully investigated,” it said. “Customers can report any incidents to gardaí, to the driver or to our customer care team on 0818 836 611 or via customercare@buseireann.ie.”
A Garda spokeswoman said the force was alerted to the incident just after noon and investigations are ongoing.
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