Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I hope the discussions will deliver a positive outcome for the workers at Bus Éireann, whom I commend on their determination and willingness to take industrial action to protect their pay and conditions. We are familiar with the line that core pay is not being touched. Allowances, overtime and other forms of remuneration for workers are under attack in the cost-cutting plan. The workers, who are not especially well paid, are right to fight and resist this attack on their pay and conditions because they are not responsible for the problems in Bus Éireann. Responsibility for the company's losses lies with management and the Government which substantially reduced the subvention to Bus Éireann. Ireland provides among the lowest levels of subvention in Europe to its public transport service. Bus Éireann should not be operated purely on the basis of profitability given that it provides a public transport service on routes and to areas where it is not possible to make a profit. I ask the Minister of State to ensure workers at the company do not become the fall guys for the lack of proper subsidy and subvention to our public transport service.

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