Dublin South East Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin Councillors table emergency motion on Dublin Bus cuts

Published: 1 February, 2009

Sinn Féin Dublin City Councillors have put forward an emergency motion to this evenings council meeting calling on Dublin Bus to reverse it's decision to cut back on services across the City. The motion comes on the same day that Bus drivers staged a protest at the offices of the Green Party in relation to the cuts and the loss of 290 jobs. Trade Union representatives are expected to attend tonights council meeting as the motion is tabled.

Speaking in advance of the meeting, Sinn Féin Councillor Larry O'Toole, who sits on the Councils Transport Committee described the decision of Dublin Bus as a "bad decision for workers, for the the people of Dublin, for public services and for the environment. It is an indictment of successive Government's refusal to properly invest in the capital city's public transport service. The current Government's silence and refusal to take any action to prevent the cuts is scandalous.

"We want to send a very clear message from Dublin City Council tonight that we are not prepared to sit idly by while the Government decimates, through inaction and underfunding, the capitals public transport infrastructure.

"We have met with the Unions on the issue. My party colleagues Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and Councillor Daithí Doolan held lengthy discussions with them last week."

Sinn Féin Councillor Daithí Doolan said further engagements with the unions were expected. He also described the position of the Green Party as "untenable" saying, "it defied logic" that John Gormleys party could justify the running down of public transport system and force people back in to private cars. "It will be a disaster for the city in terms of congestion and pollution. These cuts must be reversed," he said.

For further information please contact Daithí Doolan on 0868534666 .