Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the matter of people being able to get to work. People are under serious pressure with 1,000 jobs a day being lost, some houses being repossessed, families under pressure with mortgages and fears about jobs being lost. These pressures are added to the normal pressures of society. The Taoiseach will be aware that in November 2007, a total of 60,000 commuters in north Dublin were stranded for a week without public transport and they could not get to work. Today, a total of 150,000 commuters were left stranded because of the unofficial and wildcat dispute at the Harristown bus depot, which spread to two other depots but which has now been retracted somewhat. The CIE group does not appear to be able to change with the times and even the most minor of changes cause absolute mayhem.

I met a woman this morning who had driven from County Cavan for an appointment in the Mater hospital. She had no bus transport and eventually got a taxi in order to get to her appointment. The pressure on people and on society as a consequence of this wildcat dispute is indicative of the way the Government has been unable to manage the affairs of the nation which in a broader sense has brought about a collapse in so many areas. The people of Dublin deserve better than this.

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