CIE ‘charade’ over transport service

So, let’s recap. Minister Varadkar gave the CIÉ companies €36m because they are broke and he wanted to avoid loss of services.

Despite this, Iarnród Eireann is proceeding with plans to cut inter-city services.

Also despite this, Bus Éireann has just opened a new Cork/Dublin express service with introductory rates that are so low the service is likely to be loss-making.

Even if the new service is not loss-making, its success will be based on its ability to win passengers away from Iarnród Éireann, and from Bus Éireann’s existing non-express service between Cork and Dublin.

Both scenarios will induce further losses while the net benefit to the travelling public is negligible. So the great CIÉ charade of pretending to serve the transport needs of the Irish public continues, and the beleaguered taxpayer is forced to pay for it.

One wonders if Minister Varadkar understands the consequences of giving these people our money?

Gerry Mullins

Chief Executive Coach Tourism & Transport Council

D’Olier Street

Dublin 2