Shane Ross is worst of ‘proper tulip’ transport ministers, Oireachtas committe heard

There have been some “proper tulips” among the last 17 transport ministers, an Oireachtas committee has heard — but none who managed to bring Bus Éireann to the brink of insolvency.

AAA-PBP TD Mick Barry said that despite previous incumbents’ limitations, “none of them ever brought the national bus company to the brink of insolvency” as he claimed current Transport Minister Shane Ross is doing.

Mr Ross repeated that it would be “absolutely wrong” of him to intervene in the “nitty gritty” of the Bus Éireann dispute.

Commuters are facing travel chaos from Monday as Bus Éireann workers stage an all-out indefinite strike after management announced a range of measures and cuts to address the massive losses at the company.

Appearing before the transport committee, Mr Ross said: “I have consistently said I won’t intervene directly but I have urged them to come to the table.”

Mr Barry claimed Mr Ross would become “the first sole shareholder possibly in history to watch his company head towards insolvency, heading over a cliff, all the while proclaiming that there is nothing you can do”.

Naming the 17 transport ministers since Bus Éireann was founded in 1987, Mr Barry said: “In my view there were some proper tulips in that group”.

But the Cork North–Central TD said none had led the bus company to the edge of insolvency. “It’s happening on your watch, minister, and where is the urgency?”

Mr Ross said he does not know the cost implications of Bus Éireann becoming insolvent, despite warnings that the company could be bust by May.

Mr Ross said it would be irresponsible to talk of insolvency, stating: “I know it’s convenient to paint a situation where there is going to be Armageddon.”

Mr Barry said: “I am not painting any situation, the situation has been painted by the acting chief executive of Bus Éireann, [Ray] Hernan. He has painted the situation and he has said we are looking at the possibility of the insolvency by May. It is now March — we are talking about a matter of weeks.”

Fianna Fáil transport spokesman Robert Troy expressed no confidence in Mr Ross at the committee.

He said the minister has been aware of the escalating financial crisis at Bus Éireann for the past nine months.

A number of politicians including senator John O’Mahony and Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy pointed out that Bus Éireann cannot compete on commercial routes because “they have to call to every town and village, particularly in rural Ireland”.

“People don’t live at the final end of an Expressway, they live in the villages and towns in between”.

“It’s not wholly commercial, that aspect,” claimed Ms Murphy.

It was suggested that the company be subsided for the public service obligation elements of such commercial routes.

Separately, Labour leader Brendan Howlin heavily criticised Mr Ross in the Dáil for failing to tackle the Bus Éireann dispute.

Mr Howlin claimed he wants a ministerial title without doing any of the work involved.

Accusing him of “waiting for a solution to fall from the sky”, Mr Howlin said if Mr Ross will not act then Cabinet colleagues should act “to prevent the destruction of a public company”.