Bus route tendering dispute
Senator Cullinane raises threatened Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus strikes over plans to tender routes, particularly the proposed privatisation of all Waterford city routes. Senator Craughwell asks that the debate be deferred while management meets representative groups, and Senator Coghlan supports proceeding.
Since our last sitting, SIPTU members in Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have served notice to strike because of a refusal on the part of management of both companies to discuss the trade union members' concerns about tendering 10% of all contracts for bus services. Bizarrely, while it is proposed to privatise 10% of bus routes across the State, 100% of bus routes in Waterford city are to be privatised. It appears that the city is being used as a guinea pig in this experiment. The workers have not decided to go on strike lightly. Nobody wants to be on strike but now that they have taken that decision the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport needs to set out his position. Has he met the unions and addressed their concerns? Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann provide an essential service for the people of the State. It is clear to anybody who understands public transport that service providers have to be as efficient as possible. Ideally, they will make a profit, but they must also provide essential services, particularly in certain areas, which may not make profits. Many people living in rural areas, including in parts of Waterford, Carlow and Kilkenny, see this as part of a wider attack on rural Ireland, whereby services are cut because they do not make economic sense according to a Government logic which ignores the social and economic cost of removing them.
Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come to the House to discuss this issue ahead of any planned strike action? Such a debate would allow the Minister an opportunity to give his view on the genuine concerns of members of Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus and afford us an opportunity to question him about his plans in this area.
Comment on this
I respectfully ask my colleagues to defer their request to amend the Order of Business for two reasons. First, I have submitted a substantial amendment in this regard and, second, the Leader has committed, in only the past few minutes, to bringing the representative groups to meet the Minister. We should give him time to arrange that engagement and perhaps have the debate just before the meeting takes place.
Comment on this
With respect, our views on this issue are well known and we are all in agreement with the motion.