Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister; I think this is our first Question Time with him in the hot seat, as it were. I wish him well in his role.

In his first days as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, he was faced with the transport companies, particularly Irish Rail, on the verge of industrial unrest. The strike went ahead and I was disappointed that he took so long to involve himself in trying to find a resolution. Notwithstanding that, I ask him to update the House on the status of the industrial relations issue at the moment with the entire group of companies. He might also deal with the cost to the taxpayer of the proposed tendering of 10% of public transport bus routes, and any plans he, the NTA or the transport companies have to improve bus travel times in the Dublin area.

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