Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

In budget 2012 the Government announced cuts of approximately €22 million for CIE and to the rural transport scheme. Irish Rail, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann carried much of the 8% loss in funding, resulting in fare increases and the further downgrading of services. Routes were closed, while others were limited and changed to adapt to the lower funding level. Our poor and, in many places, non-existent public transport system was further run down. In early June Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus announced that they would need to put substantial numbers of their workers on the dole if the latter did not engage in so-called reform. This reform is simply a rowing back on the achievement of decent pay and conditions for workers and the delivery of a decent service. This is not a choice - it is the inevitable consequence of large cuts to already underfunded services. Ireland's State transport companies are among the least subsidised, with Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann-----

See this speech in context