There has been a call for safety checks on all Bus Eireann buses after a door fell of a vehicle in Co Mayo.
The incident happened on Monday morning on the 64 Route, which travels between Derry, Donegal, Sligo, Mayo and Galway.
Passengers were alarmed when the front entrance fell off the bus an hour after it left Sligo.
Bus Eireann apologised for any inconvenience caused to passengers following a “mechanical fault”.
Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Transport, Marc Mac Sharry, says Bus Éireann should immediately clarify the safety status of their fleet.
He commented, “Fortunately no one was injured during this incident. There could have been fatal consequences if the door had come off at speed while the bus shared the road with other vehicles.
“Bus Éireann have been less than reassuring about this incident. I believe they should give more details and give clarity to their customers that this is an isolated problem. They should also clarify how often the safety of vehicles is assessed and if they are aware of other problems on similar routes.”
Deputy MacSharry said that incident like this “cannot and should not happen again”.
He added: “Bus Éireann must not dismiss this as a ‘mechanical fault’, and if necessary, a full fleet assessment should be carried out. Was this mechanical fault known and if so, why was that particular bus used on the route if there were concerns? “
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