Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I have no knowledge, and no information has been presented to me, that Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann or any other State companies are breaking the law on a daily basis, as the Deputy has suggested. If that were the case, it would be a matter of the most serious gravity. If the Deputy has evidence of this wanton law-breaking, as he has suggested, by State companies and those who work for them, he should present the evidence either to the Garda Síochána or to me, and I will pass it on to the Department. My understanding is, however, that Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, the two State bus companies, operate at all times under the strict letter of the law. It has never been suggested to me, either in writing or orally, as the Deputy has done, that anything other than the highest standards are applied by those companies.

We are all concerned with recent tragedies that have occurred in the public transport area. We all await the outcome of those reports which are compiled by the Garda Síochána and others, not by my Department.

The accusations the Deputy has levied in the House are extremely serious for the employees of the companies, whom he has accused of being complicit in law breaking, and equally from the viewpoint of management which, the Deputy claimed, has exerted undue influence on workers to encourage them to break the law. These are extremely serous charges and the Deputy should present the evidence to me or to the Garda Síochána.

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