Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. This is a huge issue right across the country. The Bus Éireann people have been out for a number of days. It has been well over a week now at this stage. There is no member of the press in the press gallery to report on this very important issue which is affecting rural Ireland as well as every other part of it. There have been threats of industrial action by school bus drivers down the line. This is a very fundamental issue.

The future of Bus Éireann is at stake as is the future of the livelihoods of those who are working within the companies and those who have given loyal service to the company over the years. It demands a greater degree of urgency than has been applied heretofore to try to resolve the issue. It has been long threatened. They have been out on strike for 11 or 12 days. It is simply not good enough. It is affecting the morale and economy of rural Ireland and not only the people who are out on the picket lines whose wages are affected.

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