Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand the genuine difficulty people face when the buses are not running. It is a huge problem, not only for those trying to get to work but, to agree with Deputy Burton, for elderly members of our community who are trying to go about their daily lives, get to appointments and so on. The challenge they face is a very big problem.

Not to make a flippant point on a difficult issue, my recollection is that four different strikes took place during my tenure as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The only answer to any of them then, and it continues now, is the role of the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court. It was through their interventions that we played a role in resolving those matters. I expect and believe it will be the same for these issues. The Minister, Deputy Ross, has my full support in dealing with these matters at the moment because they pose great difficulty to the people who rely on these services, as Deputy Burton has said.