ICTU vows to fight privatisation of bus services

The Irish Congress of Trade Union has vowed to instigate strike action if the Government presses ahead with plans to partly privatise bus services in Dublin.

Transport Minister Seamus Brennan announced this morning that he intends to privatise 25% of the Dublin bus market by the end of 2004, but ICTU has argued that similar privatisations proved disastrous in Britain and in continental Europe.

Spokesman Liam Tobin said: "If he goes ahead with that, well then we are in for a future of industrial strikes, there is no doubt about that. We will not sit back idly and allow it to happen."