SIPTU has called upon the Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, to accept his responsibilities to the travelling public and play a constructive role in finding a resolution to the dispute at Dublin Bus. A further 48-hour work stoppage will take place from 12.01 a.m. on Friday, 23rd September. SIPTU Transport, Energy, Aviation and Construction Division Organiser, Owen Reidy, said: “Another two days of disruption for hundreds of thousands of Dublin residents would now seem to be inevitable due to the complete lack of interest of Dublin Bus management and the Department of Transport in seeking a resolution to this dispute. Since the industrial action began there has been absolutely no engagement by Dublin Bus management with their workers’ representatives. “It is no longer sustainable for the Minister for Transport to sit back and say this dispute has nothing to do with him when he is responsible for public transport. His line about not being ‘a sugar daddy’ is both ridiculous and incredible. He claims that he is merely a shareholder in Dublin Bus when in reality the Department of Transport has responsibility for deciding upon the strategic direction of public transport and the amount of State funding that will be provided to deliver services.” He added: “SIPTU members have not asked and do not want the Minister to personally intervene to resolve this dispute. What we want is for the Minister to take the portfolio of public transport seriously by planning to invest in the future of public transport so Dublin Bus can manage its own affairs over the medium term.” SIPTU Organiser, John Murphy, said: “SIPTU members in Dublin Bus along with their colleagues from the four other unions in Dublin Bus will march from the Garden of Remembrance, Dublin 1, to Dáil Eireann at 12.00 p.m. on Tuesday 27th September. “Our members are calling on the Minister for Transport to engage in a genuine public debate concerning the state of our transport system and his plans for it. Unfortunately, he seems to have no vision for our transport system and is confining himself to merely making flippant remarks to the media rather than engaging in serious discussion.”
SIPTU calls on Minister for Transport to take his responsibilities seriously
