SF Councillor slams privatisation ideology of FF/PD Government
Published: 3 August, 2005
Dublin Sinn Féin Councillor Dáithi Doolan has slammed the privatisation
ideology of the Fianna Fáil/PD Government after the Minister for Transport
Martin Cullen proposed the privatisation of 15% of Dublin Bus routes.
Councillor Doolan said, "It is an ideology that disregards the rights of
the marginalised and the elderly."
Speaking in Dublin this morning he said, "The proposed privatisation of up
to 15% of Dublin Bus routes this year and next year is the thin edge of a
very malignant wedge. Public transport is a service which belongs to the
people as a right. The notion that it should be run on the basis of profit
is a dangerous one which will leave individuals and communities isolated.
Experience has shown that once public transport is privatised the logic of
profit overrides all other considerations. What this will mean is a
reduction in services for areas that cannot provide a frequency of use
suitable to the companies need for profit. In practical terms people will
be left standing at the bus stop until the company is sure it can fill a
bus. They will regard it as inefficient to run a bus at anything less than
full capacity.
"The logic of the above also mean that there will be no incentive for
people to stop using their cars with all the congestion and environmental
issues that entails. The Governments withholding of the finance for an
extra 150 buses contingent on an agreement is therefore contradictory to
their oft-stated objective of reducing the number of cars on the road.
This is illogical unless you see it in ideological terms where both parties
in Government see privatisation in terms of ideology. It is an ideology
that disregards the rights of the marginalized and the elderly but lets
face it this is a Government that has shown scant regard for those sections
of society.
"Finally the evidence from the privatisation of public transport in London
has shown that it has a negative effect on safety with every safety measure
being measured against its impact on profit. New Labour were forced to
re-purchase recently privatised rail services after a series of fatal
crashes. It is to be hoped that things will not have to go this far before
the Government is forced to reverse this disastrous policy."
Councillor Doolan concluded by saying, "Sinn Féin delegations have met with
the NBRU, SIPTU and other unions to express our concerns at the
privatisation of agenda of this government. We will continue to meet and
work with the trade union movement and others in our opposition to the
privatisation of our public services."
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