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Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Transport Minister defends bus route privatisation plan

Around 10% of bus routes will be privatised.

THE NEW MINISTER for Transport says that privatising bus routes will give a better service to customers.

Paschal Donohoe has sent a letter to the heads of the National Bus and Rail Union, who have been vociferous in their opposition to privatisation.

In the letter, the Minister says that it was his belief that the National Transport Authority will put around 10% of the routes out to tender.

However, he says that Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus are not being privatised and “will not be over the lifetime of this government”.

He said that the purpose of the tendering was “to secure a better service for bus users at the same cost”.

Letter

For a larger version, click here

Letter 2

For a larger version, click here

He says that the 10% marks very little threat to the existing networks and can “improve efficiency. He adds that the staff of either company would be protected should they “not be successful in the competitive process”.

The NBRU’s Dermot O’Leary says that the union met the NTA on Wednesday and outlined their stance on staffing issues.

“Whilst we have agreed to attend at further engagements we would earnestly hope that the NTA would reflect on its position and realise that the pursuance of this policy will result in a bad deal for workers, commuters and the exchequer, maintaining a position of attacking our members jobs will inevitably lead to industrial conflict.”

Read: Protests called off as bus routes privatisation row heads to the LRC

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38 Comments
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    Mute Angelic Lestat
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:21 AM

    That’s the start of it now.

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    Mute Kevin Daly
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:22 PM

    Look at what happened in the uk. Fares increased and the private companies cherry picked the profitable routes and now they want to go back to public owned transport systems. God help the people in sparsely populated areas whatever ever service they have at the moment will disappear. Unfortunately these are not the large wealthy farmers who are staunch fine gael voters.

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:19 PM

    Kevin
    So correct I suffered from privatisation in UK services reduced by half, stops moved etc. Hopefully if they Do go ahead they’ll learn from the UKs mistakes.
    There was also the fiasco of company’s having their own individual stops so you had 3 in a 10m stretch, if you were at the wrong stop when a bus came along they just sailed on pat, at least that was my experience in Greenock area.

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    Mute Richard McCarthy
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    Jul 25th 2014, 9:09 PM

    They should have started 30 years ago and privatised at least 50%, of all state services, these state companies need real competition if they are to learn that the world dont owe them a living on their terms anymore than it does the private sector.

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    Mute Coddler O Toole
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:35 AM

    It’s the neo liberal FG model in action. I wonder will they replace Bus Eireann’s nice Red Setter with a Greyhound and have the Buckley brother parasites operate our transport network as well as our waste collection while the blueshirt bankroller Denis O Brien gorges himself on the privatised health system and water network?

    69
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    Mute commonsense
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:01 PM

    Exactly, and the people voted for it. Did all those FG voters realise what they were I wonder?

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    Mute John Hartigan
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:29 AM

    Time to get rid of the muppet gov before they completely destroy us

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    Mute Powerabbey
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:42 AM

    Is privatisation going to destroy us? I thought the the service levels in the current structure would make any reasonable person look for change!

    39
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    Mute Pat Mustard
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:48 AM

    John have you ever got private bus companies in Ireland, goBus, Citylink, Mathews, Kavanaghs etc. Every time I have taken one of these they always leave on time and arrive on time. Compare that to your usual BE journey, always leave the station late because the drivers are chatting to one another or having a smoke and nearly always arrive late.

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    Mute Wastrel
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:46 PM

    I’m pretty happy with the service levels on bus eireann. You buy a ticket and they take you to the place it says on it. They even let you know how long it’ll take! I don’t know what a reasonable person wants from their busses though.

    26
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    Mute ed w
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:38 AM

    We have great 24/7 bus eireaan service to dublin. I hate to see it ruined by private companies cherry picking peak times

    46
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    Mute Steve M
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:53 AM

    Public transport is about providing a service to the public and should not be left totally to private companies who are there there to provide a public service but a profit for themselves.

    The MTA in New York which runs the subways and buses and has 8.5 million riders a day (twice our popluation) has major financial issues as does nearly every major transport system in the world. Tokyo is the only profit making system I can think of where 90% of the population use public transport on a daily basis.

    44
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    Mute Powerabbey
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:02 PM

    Steve – the issue here is the unions control the service and make a mess of it. If the union can get their act together then it could work well.

    33
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    Mute Pierce2020
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:05 PM

    Public transport is about providing a job to the public service

    19
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    Mute Mark Kelly
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:56 AM

    What would the junkies do without a free bus pass??

    42
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    Mute Stephen Gregg
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:38 AM

    I’ve been getting the Swords Express (privatized route) for 3 years now. It’s an amazing service…comfortable air conditioned coaches that get you into town in as little as 35mins.

    Buses are on time, clean, quiet, drivers are polite and most importantly…they dont strike.

    Also, the cost is about a thrid more then Dublin Bus and not only are people willing to pay it, Swords Express has expanded from 1 route to 5 and counting, not to mention needing to add more and more buses to cope with demand.

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    Mute Reg
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:43 AM

    And look how Aircoach have improved services to the airport.

    33
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    Mute Robbie Kelly
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:49 PM

    I’ve heard they have some drivers living in the garage! (no joke, I only hope it’s not true)
    We should be careful what we wish for before we embrace privatisation.

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:22 PM

    Stephen
    The green buses around Kildare are as good, although I think prices may be slightly lower than Bus Eireaan

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    Mute Reg
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:26 AM

    Will be good to see some private companies given the chance to operate a relatively small number of routes. I hope it works out.

    36
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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:02 PM

    One word… Greyhound!

    31
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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:32 AM

    The crucial thing here is how it impacts on ticketing.

    If they get it right it will be like London or The Netherlands where passes etc. are valid across bus operators.

    I wait to see if they get it right.

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    Mute TOP CAT
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:25 AM

    What’s Leo Varadkar going to have to say about this development????….

    26
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    Mute Chris Mansfield
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:31 AM

    Leo isn’t Minister for Transport any more.

    Oh wait… That’s never stopped him talking about an issue…

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    Mute Mark Kelly
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:25 AM

    Great news. Next step is to privatise Iarnrod Eireann, Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus.

    26
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    Mute Sean Yeates
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    Jul 25th 2014, 3:49 PM

    A race to the bottom we have seen exactly what privatisation has done to Dublin city council bin services within two years of greyhound being awarded contract they want to cut wages by 35 per cent despite being fully aware of contractual obligations to staff who transferred under TUPE legislation. Now the very union founded on the backs of a lockout has negotiated their members into the gutter amd the scabs run the service it might also be worthy to note that several of the lorries been driven by scabs could not operate last week following dept welfare and rsa checks revealed not 100 per cent compliance that’s how the private bus operators will run the service off the backs off illegal workers and cheap labour :The employers cannot carry on industry nor accumulate profits if they have not got the good will of the workers or their acquiescence in carrying on such industry.

    #James Larkin turning in grave

    21
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    Mute pjm
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:53 AM

    One of the big differences between private companies and Bus Eireann is all the junkies with their free travel passes on the latter. No doubt they will be allowed to travel on these routes fro free as well!

    19
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    Mute David Murpha
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:59 PM

    I recently heard the fuel bill for just dublin bus is 34 million a year. Never mind everything else that has to be paid for. I now get from citywest to city center for €2.50 I really can’t see a privately owned company affording to run a service over that distance for that kind of price. So my only fear about privatisation is a rise in fares. I couldn’t care a less after that.

    18
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    Mute Bill
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:01 PM

    Privatise the lot. Fire all the lazy unionised layabouts

    15
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    Mute Bill Conlan
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:25 PM

    ….and another moron moves into transport !! Is there no end to these idiots ?

    14
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    Mute Jason Maguire
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:22 PM

    Why are private companies needed to improve the service? Surely if they have to meet the same conditions as BE then BE can be ran with the same efficiency.

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    Mute peter
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:25 AM

    Off course he supports it that’s why Leo was taken off the job he was doing much better and meeting targets couldn’t have a minister doing that and showing up the others for the useless dim wits they are. Rant over

    10
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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Jul 25th 2014, 11:27 AM

    When’s the referendum ?

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    Mute deerhounddog
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    Jul 25th 2014, 1:10 PM

    Ye Dubs have no idea what a lack of public or private busses in the majority of the country is like, so I have no sympathy for ye. Ye have choices which you should be thankful for.
    Get on with it or immigrate.

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    Mute Bryan Mills
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:35 PM

    Couldn’t make the service any worse in fairness!

    7
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    Mute Mark Kirwan
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    Jul 25th 2014, 9:01 PM

    Joan Burton’s Labour standing by all this, viva the revolution

    4
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    Mute Michael Fagan
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:32 PM

    It will be in the details of the contracts, if cherry picking is to be avoided, generally speaking, competition is good but must be regulated for the benefit of the people

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    Mute Pierce2020
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    Jul 25th 2014, 12:04 PM

    Buy a car

    2
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