Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

​The Deputy is aware of my stated and consistent position in this regard. I am fully aware of the problems faced by Bus Éireann and I am acutely sensitive to the fact 20 February is an important day in the calendar for Bus Éireann and its staff and workforce, to which the Deputy referred. The company must address the financial losses it incurs as a result of its loss-making Expressway services. Those services are commercial and receive no taxpayer funding, and the Deputy is aware of the reasons those services cannot receive taxpayer funding. The issues which must be addressed are internal to the company and are a matter for resolution between it and its employees.

I have been equally clear in my calls for discussions to immediately commence between the two relevant parties, as referred to in my reply to Deputy Troy. I do not doubt that those discussions will be difficult. However, it is obvious they must and will occur. As I clarified to Deputy Munster last week, I am of the view that those discussions should commence on the basis of no preconditions from both sides and, if uncertainty exists, then I would urge both parties to clarify their positions.  Discussions can be facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and/or the Labour Court.

During last week's debates in the Dáil and at the joint Oireachtas committee, I clearly outlined the actions I am taking, such as ensuring adequately funded public transport services, as budgetary resources allow, assuring rural Ireland that the National Transport Authority will ensure continued public transport connectivity, and reviewing, in co-operation with the Minister for Social Protection, how best to ensure a sustainable funding model for the free travel scheme. In regard to this latter point, the Deputy will recall my clear statement to the joint Oireachtas committee last week that this in no way involves reducing the availability of free travel passes for senior citizens. The free travel scheme is an important scheme to which we remain totally committed.

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On the wider question of transport policy, a core objective of that policy is to encourage greater use of public transport. I would expect that objective is a shared one across all sides of the House. In that regard, I note the increasing number of people using commercial bus services, as evidenced by the fact approximately 23 million people used such a service in 2015.

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