asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that a number of the employees of the Irish Omnibus Company have ceased work because of the refusal of that Company to discuss with the representatives of the Trade Union to which the men belong questions affecting their conditions of employment; whether any representations have been made to him by either side with the view to enlisting the services of his Department to bring about an amicable settlement; and, if so, what steps he has taken, or does he propose to take in connection with the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Omnibus Company Strike.
The National Union of Railwaymen has reported this dispute to my Department and the Irish Omnibus Company has furnished me with a copy of the statement issued to the Press explaining its position in the matter. I have offered the services of my Department to both parties. At present I understand that the Union officials are in communication with the Company and propose, therefore, to await developments.
In case the directors of this railway-subsidised concern might be suffering from loss of memory will the Minister remind them that the same issue has been made by some of the directors with the same Union on several occasions since 1913 and that the directors on those occasions and the shareholders of the railway company on whose behalf they put up such issues have paid very dearly for the fun in which they were engaged, and will he remind the directors that it is not good policy in the interest of the shareholders of this railway-subsidised concern to continue this out-of-date policy?
That is very far from helpful.
Will the Minister state——
I will not answer any supplementary question.
Would the Minister state if the conditions imposed on these new drivers of the I.O.C. are everything they should be and further whether it is not positively dangerous for the public to travel on buses whose drivers are not proved to be competent?
I will not answer any supplementary on a Private Notice Question.
I did not think it was a Private Notice Question.