Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Nolan for taking the question. I do not want to stray into the direct industrial relations issue as that is a matter for the company and the unions. However, there are a couple of fundamental points involved.

This situation has arisen as a result of the Government’s ideology where a decision was taken in the belief that there would be greater value for money achieved if there were competitiveness to make Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus do their business more efficiently. Does Mr. Nolan accept this has now failed when the Minister, as of yesterday, gave assurances to the workers that in the event of 10% of the business being transferred to private operators, Bus Éireann will still have to carry the drivers associated with that? Does that not undermine the economics of the argument and that ultimately this is ideology over economics?

Does it further not put the company and Dublin Bus under considerable financial strain as they move towards 2017 at a point when a further decision will be taken by the Government as to whether it will privatise further routes? If in 2017 the Government decides to privatise 40% to 50% of the company, the expectation will be that Bus Éireann will have to carry all of the staff affected.

What has arisen makes a farce of the decision to enter into this privatised regime.

Does Mr. Nolan not think it would be better for the Government to instruct the NTA to go back to the direct award model set out and provided for in the 2008 Act? Does he further agree that the 2008 Act made it very clear that only new routes would be handled under the competitive tendering process? That would have allowed for compliance with the 2007 directive from the European Union in terms of competitiveness.