Friends and relatives of the five schoolgirls who died in Monday's bus tragedy in Co Meath have been preparing for the girls' funerals tomorrow and on Friday.
This evening the remains of one of the victims, 18-year-old Claire McCluskey, were removed from her home to the Church of the Nativity in Rossnaree.
The funerals of Claire, Lisa Callan, Sinéad Ledwidge and Deirdre Scanlon will take place tomorrow. Aimee McCabe's funeral will take place on Friday.
Earlier, the Taoiseach and the Minister of Transport, Martin Cullen, visited all five families. Bertie Ahern expressed condolences on behalf of the Government and called on the Irish public for their thoughts and prayers.
Meanwhile, gardaí are continuing to interview students who were travelling on the bus involved in the accident.
Despite earlier indications, they say they are not expecting to take statements today from any of the drivers involved.
Meanwhile, four students and the female driver of one of the cars remain in hospital in Navan and Drogheda. All are described as stable. Three other students who had been in care were discharged this afternoon.
Separately, Síle De Valera, the Minister of State with responsibility for school transport, said the Government aims to phase in the use of new school buses fitted with seatbelts and second hand buses that already have seatbelts.
This statement came after Bertie Ahern, said the Government would wait for the reports of the three investigations into Monday’s bus crash in Co Meath before deciding on any new investment in the school bus fleet.
He was answering questions from Labour's Jan O'Sullivan about providing finance for the replacement of the Bus Éireann fleet.
Earlier, the Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, said that fitting seatbelts on all school buses by September would be impossible.
Ms Hanafin was speaking on RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland in response to a warning from the National Parents Council of a boycott of school buses that do not have safety features.
The debate has been prompted by the revelation that there were no seatbelts on the school bus involved in the Meath crash in which five schoolgirls were killed.
The President of the National Parents Council - Post Primary, Eleanor Petrie, said if the boycott were not held, parents would feel they had blood on their hands.
Ms Hanafin has also said there was no evidence that the absence of seat belts or the rule of three pupils for every two seats had anything to do with the bus tragedy.
Ms Hanafin said older buses were not unsafe, as each school bus had to undergo a roadworthiness test every year.
She pointed out that pupils in the Dublin area go to school by bus and Dart which do not have seat belts.
The Union of Secondary Students has sent its condolences to the parents and families affected by the accident.
A statement read: 'Out thoughts are with our peers and especially the classmates of the five young girls, and all those who are now to sit their Leaving and Junior Certificate exams while still in grief. We hope that you are all given support in your time of need.'
DUP leader Ian Paisley has written to the Taoiseach adding his voice to expressions of sympathy to the victims of the crash.
A book of condolences is open on the diocesan website www.dioceseofmeath.ie
Books of condolence will also be located at the offices of the Meath County Council in towns like Trim, Kells and Navan.
A book is also open at St Ann's Church on Dawson Street in central Dublin.
