Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I support the call by Senators Twomey, O'Toole and Bradford for a debate with senior Ministers in regard to the pending strike or day of action which will disrupt the entire economy. The public service feels very alienated at present. We in this House do not realise how serious is the feeling abroad, especially among gardaí, soldiers, nurses, teachers, fire brigade officers and others of the Frontline Alliance and other public servants. Their basic point is that they did not create the problem. Those who created the problem got golden handshakes when they should have got handcuffs. That is the situation. A windfall tax should be brought in for those who ripped off the State - the bankers and developers who got away with millions of euro. Instead, the public service must carry the can and pick up the pieces. We are all picking up the pieces in that regard. I ask the Deputy Leader to convey to the Leader that this debate would be timely and worthwhile. It might be possible, as Senator Bradford said, to bring people from the public service to the House.

I ask the Deputy Leader to call on the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, to initiate an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding competition on the Dublin to Galway bus route. The official nominee, GoBus, has the franchise for this route but Citylink has come in illegally to operate on the route, which is undermining the legal service provided by GoBus. Citylink is owned by a global company called ComfortDelGro whereas GoBus is owned by small local firm in Galway. The fines are €63.49 and €6.35 per day if a company breaks the law. The Minister should introduce immediate legislation and the buses which are illegally on this route should be seized.