Dublin Bus drivers protest outside Green head office

The Green Party said today it intends to push for service reform at Dublin Bus following criticism about its alleged failure to act over planned cutbacks at the semi-state company.

Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan said the interests and needs of passengers were not currently being represented by Dublin Bus.

Up to 30 drivers from the Busworkers’ Action Group, which includes members of both Siptu and the NBRU, staged a two-hour protest outside the party's office in Suffolk Street in Dublin today to highlight the "silence" of Green Party ministers on the planned cuts.

Last month Dublin Bus announced it was to make 290 staff redundant and reduce its fleet by 120 buses. The company said it will lose €31 million this year, following a €10 million loss in 2008, unless it makes the cuts.

Today's protest did not disrupt bus services as participating drivers were either on breaks or not rostered to work.

Many of the protesters critisised Dublin Bus for choosing to lay-off staff who joined the company recently rather than those who are close to retiring.

“Dublin Bus advertised for full-time drivers less than a year ago and people left their jobs to join the company only to find that their services are no longer required less than a year after they became employees,” said Mohammed Bervidjalal (37).

“I was working as a travel agent for four years before joining Dublin Bus and six months later I’m now going to be made unemployed at the end of the month,” he added.

Minister Ryan said this afternoon the Green Party would be asking for a new bus gateway through College Green to prioritise buses and a new route network.

"The key objective is that buses come quickly and frequently and that there is reliability for the passenger," said Mr Ryan. “This is the only way to protect and provide jobs in Dublin Bus into the future.