Mr. Ultan Courtney:

The staff in our workplace are the most important people that we have along with our passengers. One of the simple tests we have is how long people stay with us. They tend to stay with us for a full career. When the competition came in with Go-Ahead Ireland, we found ourselves in a situation where not one person left Dublin Bus to go to Go-Ahead. That speaks volumes. It does not mean there is no tension. There is a tension between ourselves and the trade unions. It does not mean we do not have the same objectives but that sometimes we differ about how we achieve them. That tension is good for everyone at the end of the day provided we can continue to provide a service to the public. Continuity of service is most important.

Like Mr. Allen has said, there is a good tension between our company and the NTA. The NTA and ourselves are not the organisations we were five or ten years ago. At the end of the day, the authority has come a long way and so have we. We have learned a great deal. We have learned about public consultation, customer service and efficiency and effectiveness in the operations we provide. Most important, we recognise there is a future for everyone and a place at the table for everyone provided we provide value for money for the Government and a good service to customers. The future is bright.