Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I very much recognise the vote. I will support the process to hopefully get a resolution to it. Our labour relations processes have, to my mind, served us well. Our trade unions do a very good job for the workers in the process. I trust the company, the management, the unions on behalf of the employees and the customers of Dublin Bus to be able to resolve this.

I do not believe what the Deputy said about the threat of privatisation. There is not a threat of privatisation. As I have said, I am a huge supporter of Dublin Bus and the provision of public services by public companies such as Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. There are ongoing changes and variations. Earlier questions asked by Deputy Naughten on Bus Éireann showed there are constant variations in how these services are provided, including which routes they manage and how they are managed. There have also been changes with the introduction of new routes such as the new orbital routes in Dublin, which are subject to tender. There are other services where Bus Éireann has won tenders, as I recall. There are also areas in which the NTA may assess that the current service level is not meeting the public's needs and in those circumstances is able to put it out to tender, which relates to the cases referred to by the Deputy.

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