John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I apologise for the fact that the Minister for Transport cannot be present to take this matter.

As the House will be aware, the resolution of industrial relations matters in the CIE companies and elsewhere is a matter for those companies to deal with in conjunction with their unions and, if necessary, by means of the industrial relations machinery of the State. The background to the current dispute is that CIE is projecting an operating deficit of up to €100 million for 2009. This is despite an increased subvention of €313 million and 10% fares increase. With falling revenue and passengers numbers and a worsening financial position, measures need to be taken immediately in order to secure the future viability of the companies. Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann have prepared cost recovery plans to achieve this and their representatives have made themselves fully available for engagement with the unions in respect of these plans.

As the House will also be aware, the LRC intervened in the matter and invited the unions and Dublin Bus representatives to attend discussions earlier today in an effort to avert strike action. The outcome of this initiative has resulted in all proposed strike actions being postponed for one week to allow intensive negotiations on cost reduction measures to get under way from Monday next under the auspices of the LRC. The intervention of the LRC is welcome and the Minister for Transport encourages all involved to work constructively to avoid strike action. Such action will not serve the interests of the workers, the public or the companies and nor will it support public transport as an alternative to the use of private cars.

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