Minister Doherty repeats call to unions to help end bus disruption

Gavan Becton

Published: Fri 13 Oct 2017, 6:33 PM

Last updated: Fri 13 Oct 2017, 7:42 PM

Minister Doherty repeats call on unions to help end bus disruption in Co. Meath

On 11 October I released a statement calling on SIPTU and the NBRU to “help put an end to an unofficial dispute that has disrupted the bus journeys of thousands of Co. Meath commuters”. Those requests were sent by letter to the General Secretaries of the two unions on 12 October.

Today, SIPTU has issued a statement saying: “The minister is clearly ill-advised to suggest that there is an ‘unofficial labour dispute’ in progress involving Bus Éireann services in the eastern corridor, as this is clearly not the case.”

The NBRU said that my “presumption in relation to unofficial industrial action is factually incorrect. There is no action, unofficial or otherwise.”

The fact of the matter is that thousands of my constituents have been left without bus services in recent weeks, owing – in part – to an absentee rate of 14% locally in Bus Éireann; compared to a national average in the public service of just 4%.

I understand that last week alone, 299 replacement services were required of private bus companies, at a cost to Bus Éireann in excess of €150,000. This was to fill gaps where drivers had not presented for work.

I am indifferent as to whether the unions want to understand this as an unofficial dispute, or a bad dose of the flu in Co. Meath. What I am concerned about is that the people in Co. Meath who use Bus Éireann services to commute to work, to college, for social reasons, or to attend hospital services, can rely on their services again.

Therefore, I stand by my original request to the unions, as well as to Bus Éireann, to ensure that a stop is put to the continued upset and upheaval in the day-to-day lives of many thousands of passengers at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Minister also clarified an earlier comment in which she referred to 299 replacement buses being brought in by Bus Éireann in the last week because of absenteeism. This should have read “299 replacement services”