Madam, - In view of PD transport policy as advocated by Senator Tom Morrissey in last Saturday's Irish Times, it would be interesting to know what contributions the private bus lobby makes to the coffers of his party.
He advocates private competition with Dublin Bus with the passion and zeal that characterise PD ideology. But this is a flawed agenda. He is critical of the subvention paid to Dublin Bus while wanting to undermine it by allowing naked dog-eat-dog competition.
There is no mystery as to how private operators make profit. They employ non-unionised labour with lower rates of pay, longer working hours and flat rates for overtime, Sundays and bank holidays. They may even follow the Ryanair example and have staff buy their uniforms!
Surely in a civilised social democracy such outmoded thinking is unacceptable. We demand decent standards of living for the employees of our semi-State companies, not under paid, over worked wretches in sub-standard vehicles whose only function is to line the pockets of their employers.
Hopefully, the cabinet will ignore the ramblings of the PDs and pursue the more realistic proposals of Minister Cullen.
- Yours, etc,
MARTIN MADDEN, Tonlegee Road, Coolock, Dublin 5.