Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

According to the Labour Court and the trade unions' own independent financial assessors, Bus Éireann is in a precarious financial situation with the very viability of the company under threat. According to the Labour Court, significant reductions in the company's cost base, including payroll costs, are essential to ensure its future and protect employment within the company. The issues involved have been the subject of deliberations for 11 months and have been the subject of a Labour Court adjudication. Following this adjudication, there was further engagement with the Labour Relations Commission.

The future of the company needs to be secured for the public who depend on its services and for the benefit of its employees. Bus Éireann runs commercial expressway services, which are currently loss-making, and, legally, the State cannot support these services. The viability of these services can only be secured if these savings are achieved. Bus Éireann has confirmed to the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly, that the company remains open to engaging with the unions. I very much hope the management and the unions use the period between now and Sunday to engage in further dialogue which can ensure the necessary savings are introduced and the provision of bus services for the public is protected.

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