Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While the Minister's approach up to now has been somewhat clinical, his opening statement today is so full of sympathy the only thing we are missing is a cup of tea.

The Minister's reference in his opening to there being no pre-conditions is nothing short of insulting. I have a copy of the letter that Bus Éireann issued. While I do not propose to outline in detail the list of inflammatory and demeaning cuts mentioned in it, including a reduction in pay of 30%, the following point might add a bit of weight to the pre-condition issue. The letter states:

I ask you to give full and careful consideration to this proposal and confirm your willingness to accept the overall objectives that we are both attempting to achieve by confirming acceptance. We are willing to meet with all the unions to discuss the detail of these initiatives and how they could be best applied to practice. [It then gives the date of the meeting] If we do not receive confirmation of your acceptance of these proposals then we will, as a matter of urgency, be seeking that the Labour Court would reconvene.

What is proposed is clear, precise and targeted. Regardless of whether the Minister believes these are proposals, initiatives or pre-conditions, the unions are of the view that they are pre-conditions. That is what they believe and that is what I and everybody else in the public domain believes. They are precise pre-conditions and they are targeted at the workers. The Minister said earlier that he would like to see the two parties come together and that there are no pre-conditions. As I said, the unions believe there are pre-conditions. I have previously raised with the Minister the issue of having the pre-conditions withdrawn. Whether what is proposed are termed proposals, initiatives, pre-conditions, given the Minister's statement that he is anxious for the two parties to meet, will he agree to instruct or advise Bus Éireann management to agree to set aside these pre-conditions so that the parties can enter into negotiations? That is not an unreasonable ask of the Minister if, as he said, he is genuinely interested in resolving this matter.

Let us accept that these are proposals or initiatives. Will the Minister ask Bus Éireann management to set aside its letter, which has only inflamed the entire situation, and meet with the unions?