Taoiseach condemns bus strike and says taking unofficial action wrong

THE UNOFFICIAL Dublin Bus strike was condemned by Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

“Those who were involved in unofficial action were wrong. It is not the way to proceed,” said Mr Cowen. “It causes great inconvenience to commuters and is not in line with best industrial practice.”

He said that while it was important to say that they should not have unofficial action, it was also important not to characterise all trade union activity on the basis that there was unofficial action.

“The unofficial action is typical of the reaction of organised workers to such issues,” he added.

Mr Cowen said that there was competition on commercial routes.

“It is intended that any new PSO [public service obligation] routes from December onwards will be open to competition in a regulated, sensible way, which will maintain quality and access to services for people, provide choice and will not put at risk the significant investment in public transport services,” he added.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that governments had given €4.7 billion to Bus Éireann in the past 10 years. He said that a total of 150,000 commuters were left stranded due to a wildcat strike.

“The CIÉ group does not appear to be able to change with the times and even the most minor or agreed changes cause absolute mayhem,” he added.

Mr Kenny said that “the pressure on people and on society, as a consequence of this wildcat dispute, is indicative of the way the Government has been unable to manage the affairs of the nation, which in a broader sense has brought about a collapse in so many areas”.

The people of Dublin deserved better than that, he said.

Mr Kenny argued that they should not be in a position in 2009, where, because of a monopoly situation, 150,000 commuters were stranded. “It is a case of make your own way to work and whatever way you get there is your own business,” he said.