Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his opening statement. He said that the objectives of the public transport system "require the development of an accessible, integrated, well-funded, high-quality and efficient" service. I would like to compare the document on the future of public transport, to which the Minister referred, to the statement that was given to the unions representing Bus Éireann workers in the past couple of weeks. They were told that structural changes would involve separating Expressway services from the rest of the public transport network. Workers were also told that their pay and conditions would be changed. In any other language, that is a privatisation agenda. We know about the decision to allow 10% of the market to be put out to public tender as part of that agenda. Is this the start of the privatisation of our public transport network? It has been suggested that the 2,600 workers and the fleet of 800 buses in the Expressway system will be separated out. Is this part of the privatisation of public transport?

The Minister said in his statement that he is responsible for transport policy. Is this part of his policy? Is he in favour of going down the road of privatising our public transport network? It has been suggested, particularly in the context of the Dublin Bus strike, that the workers are the only people who have not benefitted from the upturn since 2013-14. Those who have an ideology of pure privatisation can adopt a myopic mindset or view. It is better to adopt a long-term strategy of public investment to deliver a first-class public transport service that can be accessed by everyone in every town and village in the State. The State will eventually reap the long-term benefits of investment in delivery. I am extremely worried that the Minister's policy to date is favouring a privatisation agenda. What does he think about the statement that was made to the unions about privatising our entire Expressway service?

It has been said that the rural transport programme is under review. Is the Minister of State aware of the issues that have been identified in that review? What actions have been taken to date? Will the rural transport programme be secured as the programme it was set up to be? The intention is that people in rural areas who have no other means of transport can access rural transport services under the programme.