Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister finally awoke from his slumber last Friday morning, if only for an hour or so. There was one reason and one reason only for that - the disruption that was brought to his front door, that is, Dublin - yet the Minister's outsourcing and privatisation agenda takes precedence over the travelling public, over workers' rights and over rural Ireland. Any attempt by the Minister or the Government to decimate our public transport will not succeed. Any attempt by the Minister or the Government to break the backs of workers and their unions will not succeed. We are 12 days into a strike. We have the WRC negotiations starting tomorrow but all along the Minister completely and repeatedly refused to engage. If those negotiations do not work out, the Minister will have to, at this urgent stage, consider and give approval for his Department, the NTA, Bus Éireann management and the unions to enter into negotiations. It is a much bigger picture. It is about protecting and preserving our public transport network.

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