Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has been briefed by management and workers' representatives in Bus Éireann on proposals to cut 162 buses and 320 jobs from the company which will have an impact on the national bus network and commuters here; the action he is taking to utilise all of the industrial relations mechanisms of the State to avoid disruptions to bus services for up to 70,000 commuters; if he has been briefed on the impact of the latest cutbacks at Dublin Bus on the Dublin Bus network and on commuters in Dublin and in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28928/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I have been briefed by Bus Éireann management on the deterioration in its financial position due in the main to declining demand and revenue and increased costs, and on the measures necessary to maintain its financial viability. I have also been briefed by the unions on the issues involved. Decisions in relation to service rationalisations are a matter for the company itself. I understand that Bus Éireann is currently engaged, under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, in detailed discussions with its staff and their representatives on the measures proposed in this regard.

I encourage all involved to make every effort to reach agreement on the measures necessary to protect services to the maximum extent possible, to ensure the financial viability of the company and to avoid the disruption of services which will not serve the interests of the workers, the public or the company, nor will it support public transport as an alternative to the private car. I understand from Dublin Bus that it has implemented its cost recovery plan in line with the Labour Court recommendation of April 2009 and that every effort has been made to maintain services at the highest level possible through the reduction, where possible, of service frequencies rather than service withdrawals.