Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

After that long dissertation, Deputy Clare Daly understands well what we have to do: get our public finances in order, restore our country to prosperity and get our people back to work. That is why I am glad the unions have agreed to suspend the strike and go back to talks with Bus Éireann at the Labour Relations Commission. I hope that over the next 48 hours or so, the discussions will end conclusively and successfully in that the savings that have to made can be agreed, drivers will continue giving the excellent service they have always given, and passengers will have access to Bus Éireann for their journeys around the country.

The evidence of €500,000 lost in a two-day strike speaks for itself. I do not share the Deputy's view that the subsidy has been slashed by the Minister, Deputy Varadkar. In fact, last year, the subsidy to Bus Éireann was the highest ever.

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