The company said it carried over 83 million passengers in the last year, an increase of 6.3%.

It says the earliest bus available to workers on weekdays gets them to its store in Ballymun for just after 8am.

The total number of people using public transport services in Cork last year rose by more than 7%, according to figures from the National Transport Authority.

Around 150 demonstrators gathered outside the Dean Clough centre.

Private bus and coach operators, who provide two-thirds of our scheduled commercial bus services, are calling for all public transport routes to be put out for tender.

National Bus and Rail Union general secretary Dermot O’Leary says his union will do its “damnedest” to retain rural services should it be forced into industrial action .

Bus Éireann workers have accused the company of engaging in “open warfare” after it announced a series of “draconian” pay cuts which threaten to push the semi-state company into strike action within weeks.

Unions at Bus Éireann have said they want to minimise the impact of any strike action on those who rely exclusively on the company’s services, particularly those in rural areas and schoolchildren.

Bus Éireann could go bankrupt before the year end if emergency measures are not introduced, it’s acting chief executive warned.

Fears of a school’s pupil and staff numbers being slashed by half saw more than 250 parents, teachers, and national politicians attend a public meeting on proposals to reduce bus services for students.

Israel’s prime minister has overruled his defence minister and called off a proposed plan to segregate Palestinians from Israelis on West Bank buses.