State’s hands-off approach is actively preventing resolution

Unions claim there are forces at play within Government that would prefer to see the demise of Bus Éireann, writes Stephen Rogers.

Throughout the current Bus Éireann debacle, Government members in general — and Transport Minister Shane Ross in particular — have been at pains to say that the resolution of the dispute is a matter for the company and its staff representatives and they cannot be seen to be getting involved.

A few hours after the Workplace Relations Commission talks ended early yesterday morning Paschal Donohoe once again defended the minister in his former transport department, saying the Government is putting in place supports for the Labour Court and WRC, but is not playing any role other than that.