Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are on the verge of a major public transport strike with Bus Éireann. It seems that the previous Government sat on its hands over a two-year period. Even though various plans went to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority, nothing happened because nobody wanted to deal with these issues in the run-up to the 2016 general election. In the aftermath of that election, the old management was cleared out. The very aggressive approach that has now developed is putting the onus entirely on workers' terms, pay and conditions. In my view, the objectives of this strategy, which is essentially driven by conflict, are to reduce the average bus driver's wages to €32,000 or €33,000 in one fell swoop and to achieve redundancies and other efficiencies. In other words, the workers will have to bear the entire brunt of the savings of €12 million that have been identified and are being sought by the company.

The position and behaviour of management at the Labour Relations Commission on Monday was very provocative. The ideological position of Fine Gael and the Minister, who hails from the same stable, is aligned to this strategy. The Minister is engaging in classic Pontius Pilate behaviour by hiding behind the industrial relations fig leaf and refusing to engage. He is privately comfortable with the undermining of this public transport company and the all-out assault on the terms and conditions of its workers. I accept that efficiencies and reforms are needed. I agree with that but I do not agree with a race to the bottom, which is what is actually going on. I do not agree with the undermining of an important State bus company. The last time we discussed this matter, I asked the Taoiseach to set out his position on it but he equivocated on the idea of supporting and maintaining a State transport company like Bus Éireann. It is interesting to note that the Luas and Dublin Bus disputes got sorted. Was that because those companies are based in Dublin?

To hell with the regions and rural Ireland and let chaos prevail. That is the message being sent in the contrasting way the various disputes have been dealt with. The hands-off approach of the Minister, Deputy Ross, is ensuring that occurs.

The basic question I have put to the Taoiseach is why it is not possible for the Minister, Deputy Ross, and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to engage with the National Transport Authority, NTA, Bus Éireann management and unions to work out the policy implications and issues that could contribute to a resolution of this particular dispute. We should remember the public service subvention has been reduced from approximately €45 million in 2010 to €36 million in 2016 and the free travel contribution per passenger is approximately €4.86 on the Expressway, with €11.78 being the average fare on the service. The policy matters and it is time for the Minister to engage on those issues with all the stakeholders.

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