Dublin Bus strike: Privatise bus and rail services, says O’Leary

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said staff at Dublin Bus are holding the public “to ransom” and said the bus service, as well as the rail service, should be privatised.

Mr O’Leary also criticised management at Dublin Bus for failing to be seen to come out and deal with the industrial action at the company. “I haven’t heard from one of them,” he said.

With bus services in the capital due to stop at 9pm ahead of a second two-day strike on Thursday and Friday, Mr O’Leary said the dispute had been mismanaged and said the company should have had a back-up place such as using private coach operators on strike days.

Further strikes are planned for Friday and Saturday of next week, September 23rd and 24th as part of a campaign by staff at Dublin Bus for a pay increase.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast ahead of Ryanair AGM said Minister for Transport Shane Ross was taking the right approach by staying out of the dispute.

His “instincts are in the right place” in terms of his transport brief and he is handling the bus strike the right way. “It is nothing to do with a Government Minister,” he said.

Ahead of the work stoppage, trade unions representing workers at Dublin Bus strongly criticised what they described as the silence of Mr Ross, Dublin Bus management and the Department of Transport in relation to the dispute.

Siptu organiser John Murphy said the “complete intransigence shown” by the three parties in response to the need of his members for an acceptable pay rise had created “real anger and frustration” and strengthened the resolve of striking workers.