AN IRISH man with cerebral palsy was told he wasn't allowed on a bus because he "looked too drunk".
David Browne, a self employed IT consultant, spoke of how he was left "humiliated and embarrassed by the ordeal.
The incident occurred in Blanchardstown in Dublin on Monday, December 9, as David tried to board the 9am bus home to Navan, Co. Meath, after spending the weekend with his family in Dublin.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, the father-of-three said that if it wasn't for the intervention of a fellow passenger, who realised the bus driver had made a mistake, he would've been left stranded on the side of the road.
"I hadn’t even got to the top of the steps when the bus driver said I was too drunk to get on. I was flummoxed. I actually ended up speechless," he said.
"I have cerebral palsy and have bad balance but that was the only thing that may have led to the confusion."
David said that what made matters worse was that immediately following the incident, the bus driver didn't even offer him an apology.
"I tried to correct him but it was only when other passengers intervened and told the bus driver that I was clearly disabled, that he let me on. But there was no apology or any kind of regret.
"Even when I was getting off the bus in Navan, he just turned his back to me. He made no attempt to apologise despite a suggestion by another passenger.
"I was left mortified and embarrassed but it was the lack of apology that made it worse. His arrogance was putrid and frankly horrible."
Bus Eireann apologised to David via email, saying: "The driver concerned has now been identified and arrangements have been made to interview this driver in relation to this incident.
"On behalf of Bus Éireann, please accept my sincere apologies for any distress caused to you on this occasion."
David however says it's not enough, labelling the email "a copy and paste exercise".
"I would like to know more about the actions that have been put in place to ensure I never have to face this scenario again. I feel that I at least deserve a phone call to know that things are actually being done from the person doing it," he said.
