Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry to have missed the presentation from the NTA but I have the notes. We are talking about the bus corridors specifically, which are important, but it is inevitable that we also raise points about BusConnects in general and some of the issues pertaining to the NTA. I want to pick up on the point about privatisation because I questioned the Minister on that issue this morning. It is true to say that more privatisation is pending because Bus Éireann has been told its services on three more routes will be put out to tender. The reality is that, in the last round, even though Bus Éireann underbid Go-Ahead by €3 million, it did not get the contract. It seems the system is rigged in favour of private companies.

I have received lots of reports from bus workers that it is impossible for those workers to stay working in Go-Ahead for a long time because the starting salary and top rates of pay are between €10,000 and €14,000 less than Bus Éireann workers are paid.