Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the bus workers from Bus Éireann who are in the Gallery. It is welcome that talks have been announced in the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, tomorrow. It is also very welcome that the workers are maintaining the pickets while those talks take place. Those talks will be absolutely fruitless unless three things happen: first, the Minister, Deputy Ross, increases the subvention that has been systematically cut from Bus Éireann; second, the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, increases the free travel subsidy that has also been cut; and third, that workers have their pay restored. The Minister has overseen the cutting of pay as he is a major shareholder. Routes have been cut as well. The X7 route from Dublin to Clonmel has been cut tonight. How does the Minister expect workers to go back to work when those things are being done to them? They have been implemented. I am sure the Minister has never been on a bus but this is their live livelihoods and that of their families.

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