Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I echo the points on critical road infrastructure, including the M20 and the Cork north ring road.

My question concerns the bus strike. The Minister said he does not understand why the sham negotiations have stalled. Organising public transport is not a doddle, understanding why the negations have stalled is. These workers have had no pay increase for eight years. They are being asked to negotiate on the idea of an 8.25% increase over the next three years, plus productivity, when they have already given two major productivity concessions in the past eight years.

Does the Minister not accept that, in those circumstances, no trade union worth its salt could negotiate a deal like that and that it is not and will not be acceptable? With 13 days of strikes looming, those unions will come under increased pressure from their ranks to escalate if there are not real talks which go beyond an increase of 8.25% plus productivity. If the Minister accepts that, does he not accept that there will be a need for talks which go beyond that and attempt, in a genuine way, to address the issue of pay justice?