Mr. Owen Reidy:

On paper we would be satisfied that other terms and conditions of employment would be included, but in practice we would not. Experience has shown that. In the Waterford area, for example, a decision has been taken to tender out all the routes. Bus Éireann employees in Waterford will not want to move. We met the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and he said he did not want people to be moved forcibly. If people do not want to move, does that mean Bus Éireann must carry extra staff? Does it pay a severance? Where will it get the money for that? None of these questions has been thought through.

I have read the Labour Party and Fine Gael manifestos. The Fine Gael manifesto in this area is to privatise the lot. Some 10% is up for grabs. I want the situation to be different, but I must respect the fact that 60% of citizens vote for centre-right parties who are interested in deregulation and the points Deputy Dooley has made, which he says Fianna Fáil is not interested in. That is interesting. If people voted for a left-led government or for the parties of the left to be in government, I doubt we would be in this situation. That is not the way it is. There is still an opportunity for the regulator and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to examine this more carefully, commit to the direct award model for another five years and allow much more comprehensive and public debate among the users of public transport as well as those who work in the companies and deliver the service.