Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Adams is well aware, the National Transport Authority, NTA, has a statutory responsibility to judge how best to balance both the direct award and the tendered public service obligation, PSO, services that are socially necessary and that relate to non-commercial bus routes. In late 2013 the NTA, in the aftermath of a wide-ranging consultation process, decided that 10% of the existing PSO bus market should be tendered for. The Deputy will have heard the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport very cogently reassure workers with regard to their conditions and their rights in respect of this matter. The NTA was proceeding with the public procurement process while also participating in the process facilitated by Labour Relations Council, LRC, in the context of addressing CIE employee concerns on the implications of this element of the market being opened until a trade union withdrawal on 30 March last. Hence, there has been quite an amount of intensive engagement on employee issues. It is the Government's view that the discussions at the LRC would allow employee concerns to be addressed very satisfactorily. The Minister is extremely clear about that.

As the Deputy is also well aware, introducing competitive tendering in respect of a small segment of the overall number of available bus routes will save the taxpayer money, encourage cost competitiveness and enhance service quality.

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