Left Archive: Press Release, Joe Higgins TD, Dublin Bus Strike, 24th March 2000, Socialist Party

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Many thanks to the person who forwarded this to the Archive.

This is a simple document issued by Socialist Party TD, Joe Higgins, in 2000 with reference to the then Dublin Bus Strike. It is of interest to see how political messages are compressed into more concise formulations for media.

In it he argues for Decent basic pay for bus drivers is the solution; de-regulation/privatisation of public transport in Dublin would worsen the service. 

And he notes:

Opportunist politicians and business representatives have been using the Dublin Bus strike to call for-deregulation of public transport in Dublin. This is a dishonest attempt to cover up the real issue at the heart of this strike, which is the disgracefully low basic pay for bus drivers. 

The experience of cities in Britain and elsewhere in Europe where de-regulation/privatisation of public transport has been implemented is that the service for the public worsen other than improves. Private operators pick the most lucrative routes and there is often uncertainty as to changing bus companies and schedules.