asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state whether the loss exceeding £900,000 sustained by Córas Iompair Éireann could be due to inefficient management and staff redundancy or was entirely due to strike action; and what steps, including change of management, does he propose to take to put the company on a paying basis and to ensure a considerable improvement in city passenger transport services.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reason for Córas lompair Éireann Losses.
The chairman of Córas Iompair Éireann, in his speech at the annual general meeting held in March, attributed the unsatisfactory financial returns for 1947 to a number of causes, including the coal crisis in the early part of the year and consequent dislocation of services; the strike of omnibus workers; the compulsory change-over to the use of oil instead of solid fuel for firing locomotives; increases in wages and cost of fuel and other materials, and the increase in the number of privately-owned lorries.
As I have already indicated, in reply to a recent question, the company were asked to submit to me their proposals for the future of their transport services. These proposals are now under examination.