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Bus Éireann, Ireland’s national bus company, has celebrated its employees’ achievements in 2022 at the Annual GEM (‘Go the Extra Mile’) Awards, in acknowledgement of the dedication, exceptional service and heroic efforts of its employees across the country.

Awards were issued in a number of different categories including Forward Thinking, Safety, Customer First and Hero of the Year.

Two of Bus Éireann’s heroic drivers from Cork were celebrated at this year’s awards. Bus Éireann Cork driver Alison Healy received the ‘Hero of the Year’ award for displaying particular compassion and care for one of her passengers suffering from dementia, ensuring she was kept safe and protected until reunited with her family. John Sexton received the ‘Hero of the Year’ award for his tireless volunteer work in the Capwell Co-op as well as travelling to the Ukrainian border with essential supplies for those in need.

Colin McIntrye, Sean O’Sullivan, Stephen Wrenn, Eilish Hurley and Denis McCarthy were named Training Supervisors, Team of the Year for their outstanding performance throughout the year. Their driving trainees have a 100% pass rate to date, they were commended for hard work, dedication and meticulous attention to detail.  Bus Éireann’s driver training programme trains drivers from Category B to D licence holders.

Liz O’Donovan received the Collaboration and Respect award for her 40 years’ service to Bus Éireann; her enthusiasm, dedication and forward-thinking ensuring she is always ‘going that extra mile’ for customers and colleagues alike.  

2022 has been an exceptionally busy year for Bus Éireann with passenger numbers at an all-time high.  I want to recognise the outstanding contribution of Bus Éireann employees in connecting people with who and what matters to them throughout the year,” said Stephen Kent, Chief Executive Officer, Bus Éireann.

The GEM Awards celebrate the exceptional contributions of Bus Éireann employees for our passengers, our services and for their colleagues. Bus Éireann operates in every corner of the country with city and town services, inter-city and inter-regional routes provided by Expressway, rural stage carriage services and our extensive school transport network. The GEM awards provide the perfect opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the continued dedication and performance of our staff who consistently ‘go the extra mile’ for our customers and for their colleagues, I want to congratulate all of those who have won and who have been nominated for GEM Awards in 2022.’

According to a KPMG report last year, Bus Éireann contributes €40 million to the Cork economy, employing 570 people who live in County Cork, facilitating almost 16 million passenger journeys on the Cork city bus service in 2019 and transporting 16,000 students on school transport in Cork each school day.