Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish everybody, belatedly, a very happy new year. I want to express my disappointment at the contribution earlier by our colleague, Senator Humphreys, who I respect immensely. I do not know what it is about the Labour Party but it has never really got the North. I do not know whether it is the legacy of Conor Cruise O'Brien but it is a pity because we have a good platform in so many areas on which we agree. However, it is a shame there is not that understanding. For our part, our socialism does not stop at the Cavan border.

I raise the issue of Bus Éireann. I was at a meeting with union officials in the past hour. The situation is extremely serious. I want to point out how we got to where we are now. The Fine Gael 2011 manifesto states: "We will completely overhaul the bus market in Ireland by introducing competitive tendering for all bus routes in the country as soon as practicably possible." Unfortunately, this is an issue of ideology; it has not come about by accident.

Fine Gael has been in government for the past six years. That is why Bus Éireann is in the current mess. It is a combination of ideological commitment to competition at the cost of rural communities coupled with a refusal to consider the issue of public service obligations. I agree with Senator Mulherin that the Minister must come into the House but, with all due respect, the Members opposite are in government. He is their Minister, so they should sort it out. The top wage for a driver after 20 years of service is €624. The solution, which was given to us in our meeting, is to set up a sectoral employment order to put in place a level playing field for wages, whether it is a private or a State operator. Our colleague, the Leader, is a good union man so I ask that in addition to inviting the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come into the House, he might also commit to the reasonable proposal that we establish a sectoral employment order to protect decent bus workers who have given a lifetime of service but who are facing the prospect of ruin unless the Minister acts.