School pupils and teachers among injured in crash between bus and lorry

The driver of the bus was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries (Picture: Dylan Vaughan)

A crash between a bus and a lorry in Ireland has left 12 people injured, including eight school pupils and two teachers.

The bus contained around 40 students from Coláiste Phobal secondary school in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, who are believed to have been travelling to the town of Kilkenny.

At around 10.20am today, their vehicle collided with a truck on the N77 road around six miles north of their destination.

Images from the scene show the bus with a shattered windscreen and serious damage to the front.

The driver of the lorry, a man in his 40s, was flown by helicopter to Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin, where he is being treated for serious injuries.

Eight students, two teachers and the bus driver were taken to hospitals in Kilkenny and Tullamore with injuries considered non-life-threatening.

One pupil, a teacher and both drivers are understood to still be in hospital this evening.

A statement from the school said the students on board the bus were in their transition year, which is typically undertaken by those aged 15 and 16.

It continued: ‘NEPS, the psychological support service of the Department of Education, are supporting the school, and the school’s Critical Incident Team has been convened.

‘We will be working with staff and students affected to ensure they receive any necessary supports after experiencing this traumatic event.’

Gardaí, the Irish police force, said the road would remain closed for a period of time as forensic examinations take place.

Kilkenny county councillor Pat Fitzpatrick said it was a ‘miracle’ the crash did not have a worse outcome.

He told RTÉ News: ‘It was just a pure miracle, somebody was looking down on that bus this morning…. the road is very, very narrow.

‘It is at the mouth of the bridge it happened, and it is just a really, really dangerous spot.’