Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Maith thú. Fair play duit.

The management of Bus Éireann has announced measures that threaten the rights of bus workers, passengers and, in particular, the rights of citizens in rural Ireland. By slashing overtime and Sunday rates and cutting pay, the management is forcing the issue to an industrial dispute. This race to the bottom when it comes to workers' pay and conditions is totally unacceptable because it is not the workers who created the crisis at Bus Éireann. Like the Taoiseach, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, states that rural Ireland is a top priority for the Government, but there is no evidence of it. The Government has closed Garda stations, post offices and hospitals. Today, 601 citizens are on trolleys. The Government has closed other facilities. Now it is attacking the public bus service.

Coming from County Mayo, the Taoiseach must know that a large number of people, particularly those in rural Ireland, depend on Bus Éireann services. They include the young, the old, the poor, the rural dweller and the tourist. Those are the people who take the bus. The outworking of Government policy for those living in rural Ireland who cannot afford a car or who cannot drive for some reason is that they have to stay where they are, even if that means they cannot have access to work, study, health care or a social life. The nub of the issue is whether the Taoiseach believes that public transport is a right.

It is clear that the Government believes in privatisation and, therefore, the profit motive will determine who gets a bus service. Bus Éireann is part of our vital infrastructure, particularly in rural Ireland. With good management and by listening to transport users and workers and taking on board what they have to say, it is possible to create a service that will attract more people to public transport. That should be the Government's position but it is not the position of the Minister. The Minister should take a range of decisions, including the decision to have a full review of the Expressway service. A review of loss-making routes on which private carriers currently operate is also needed. There should be a review of the private licences issued for these routes. There should also be an increase in funding for the free travel pass. As it currently stands, the amount allocated covers just 41% of the cost of the average journey. Given the threats to routes, the Minister needs to provide clarity. What routes and services have been identified for potential closure?

There needs to be a full engagement by the Minister with all stakeholders. Will the Taoiseach ensure that the Minister, Deputy Ross, engages with all the stakeholders, including his Department, the NTA, Bus Éireann and the unions, to find a resolution of the issue and that this happens without delay?

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