Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's performance on this issue has been appalling and very disappointing. He is clearly a party to what will happen to public transport in the future because he is the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. He is the Minister. He seems to have forgotten that simple fact. He has been prepared to allow 100,000 people to wait morning after morning for this strike to be resolved and for 2,600 workers to have their pay and conditions slashed by 30% or more with threats to hundreds of jobs. He has sat there doing nothing like a hurler on the ditch or like a journalist observing things rather than taking action. He is a party to this; there is no question. Public transport is a public good. We have to provide funding and subventions as every other European country does up to 70%, 80% or 90%. The Minister has slashed the subvention and has not been prepared to come forward and play his role. I welcome the WRC move. The Minister should have appointed an intermediary months ago and got this resolved before there were any cuts.

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