Mr. Patrick McCusker:

That is all right. Much like my colleagues, our problem is that there are many facets to the issues at Bus Éireann, but the sort of strategy or policy of Bus Éireann management and others, which is trying to funnel this into an industrial dispute, is compounding the issue. This is not an industrial dispute but a public transport policy issue that has many facets to it. The trade union movement has always been willing to engage, but the engagement must be constructive, genuine and meaningful. Were we to go to the Workplace Relations Commission to be told that the situation remains the same, that there is a gun to our heads and that management are going to cut our terms and conditions on 20 February itwould just create the dispute. We are prepared to engage but the engagement must be genuine and meaningful and that can only occur if people wake up and realise that this is not an industrial dispute but a public transport dispute. Let us deal with it as that.