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Updated 9.05 am
DUBLIN’S RAIL SERVICES were packed full this morning as bus drivers return to pickets and their strike action entered its second week.
Dart services were operating at full capacity with Iarnród Éireann staff reporting that, although it’s been busy, the service has been coping.
Again this week buses were off the road from 9pm last night, a decision taken by Dublin Bus that drivers’ unions say is unnecessary
Drivers say they would have returned buses to depots even if their shift ran later than midnight.
Hundreds of thousands of commuters around the capital are being affected by the action today and tomorrow, with a further two days of stoppages planned on 23 and 24 September.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie at a busy Pearse Street station this morning, a number of students were among those distrupted by the strike.
“I usually get the 145 out to Bray from Heuston Station because I’m travelling from Kildare, but I’m completed f**ked now like, I’m definitely late,” one said.
Another student travelling from outside the capital explains that it makes her commute much harder:
I’m from Meath so it’s like two trains. It is pain because I had to get up earlier and then I have to last the whole day in school. We’re sixth years so we have study and get the whole train home.
All Dublin Bus services are affected by the strike. Here’s what you need to know if you usually use the bus:
Unions are seeking a 15% pay increase over the next three years for drivers and a 6% rise they say they were due to get under an agreement in 2009, but which was deferred.
Dublin Bus claims in a statement that the continued industrial action by trade unions and employees is costing the company in excess of €600,000 each day.
The company claims the six strike days will cost the company €5.5 million and that a 15% pay increase would undermine its financial stability.
It stated: “These mounting costs further diminish our ability to fund the 8.25% recommended by the Labour Court.”
According to a Claire Byrne Live/Amárach poll this week, 38% of the public support the bus drivers’ decision to strike for a 15% pay increase.
- With reporting by Rónán Duffy
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He hasn’t rowed back. He’s clarified. It’s legally binding under the agreement to be made. But if that agreement isn’t made it’s not legally binding, however it remains an intent of the UK government to follow through. This is why it’s critical that the good feelings, trust and cooperation between us remains.
@Damocles: looks more like we got the dirty end of the stick again.
@Damocles: If the agreement isn’t made, “the United Kingdom will ensure that no new regulatory barriers develop between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, unless, consistent with the 1998 Agreement, the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly agree that distinct arrangements are appropriate for Northern Ireland.”
@Mick Tobin: however the agreement to do that is part of the agreement that might not be made, it only kicks in if the agreement is not made and thus becomes non binding. It remains a statement of intent, albeit an unenforceable one. If it were the case that it were to be invoked as a result of Irish actions we can imagine the lack of willingness, trust and cooperation that would surround it.
@Mr Phil Officer: yes, “dirt”. ;)
@Damocles: Why would the UK government in effect say that Friday’s agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s on, just days before EU leaders meet to decide whether the next phase gets the go-ahead?
@Damocles: we managed nothing, we were forced by the Eu to bow to their defence pact ultimatum while getting a “cast iron bullet proof” agreement that’s not legally binding, we were sold a pup and the multi million comms unit span it as a victory.
@Mick Tobin: I’m reasonably sure that most people will have read and understood the document.
@Damocles: are you David Davis ? You talk in riddles, just like him
@Mr Phil Officer: it’s actually not all that bad. Instead of everyone just saying that they’ll avoid a hard border it’s now written down in writing that they’ll do so. And everyone has agreed to pay special attention to the border. Furthermore, if it all goes horribly wrong the UK will respond to your spirit of trust, good will, respect and cooperation and work to try to keep the border as soft as possible.
@Michael Farrelly: yes. I’m David Davis. You win 5 pounds. I’m taking time out of doing two jobs to talk to you lot on the journal.
@Michael Farrelly: i asked him the exact same question this morning.
@Mr Phil Officer: Factually incorrect rubbish. References please.
@Damocles: LOL. What Irish actions would those be? You’re talking like you think the UK government has a hand to play. It doesn’t.
Seems all the backslapping and celebrations were a tad premature. Glibly claiming this patched-up ‘agreement’ is legally binding and immutable will not make it so. But with Leo and this government it’s all about the optics
@Stephen: he said they would avoid a hard border, that doesn’t mean there wont be one.
@Stephen: Utter horse manure.
The agreement is legally binding.
If there is no agreement, then everyone – Ireland north and south and the UK especially – are in deep deep trouble. Even still though, the intention is still to not have a border.
The most important point was that there is now a pathway towards UK staying in at least a mirror version of Customs Union. Scotland, Wales and London reaction to “alignment” ensured that.
But of course you’re only interested in Leo bashing. How patriotic and not at all sad and pathetic.
@Brinster: All I’m saying is that this supposed agreement is contingent on a number of factors which may or not fall into place, but Leo et al are constructing it as done and dusted entirely due to their agency, which is far from being the case. But hey, they take people like you in, so that’s half the battle, isn’t it?
Sign of things to come. In essence, they can do what they want, who’s gonna stop them? “Write it in now, shut Paddy up and fudge it later”.
The only thing that will help us is to get the EU to have concrete clauses in their Phase 2 agreements with UK, that any change or failure to follow through on these Phase1 agreements will immediately affect EU trade agreements. Ireland has no clout without the EU on this one
@Rear Admiral: but Ireland has the EU that’s the difference.
@Rear Admiral: We are.
EU officials must be licking their fingers when they have to deal with an Muppet such as Davis, this guy is the laughing stock of the UK and Europe and is chief negotiator for the UK. He is the epitome of incompetence and dysfunction, not having a clue of what he has done or wants, he perfectly encapsulates Brexit.
Nice to see our mug taoiseach is happy!
Ignorance is bliss, or in his case, naivety is bliss!
@Adrian: He bought the pup
@Adrian:
Nice to see our patriots supporting their Government and celebrating good news for the country.
Refreshing to see usually partisan commenters giving praise where it is due.
Great that the usual suspects aren’t just here bleating whiny pathetic insults.
@Brinster: our gov is a pure disgrace, there’s no patriotism in our gov politicians, it’s all about the self glorification, they’d sell you out in a heartbeat if it benefitted themselves, even though they’re continuously making a dogs dinner of running the country.
@Adrian: More incorrect, unsupported drivel from yet another anonymous coward pretending to have an opinion. Next.
Typical Leo has his head up hi
The only conclusion i can make is that i no longer believe any thing they say ,if there is any doubt on the irish side ,now is the time to hold up the second phase ,davis and brokenshire are seasoned campaigners they represent the british mindset ,leo and coveny are fools if they think they can write english better than the brits .
Davis realised someone was listening and told leo what he wanted to hear.
are we making a kerfuffle out of this?
You Irish, standing up for yourselves again!
#YouIrish
@John Marshall: To be fair, the British regions are going to have to do what the Irish have done up to now in trying to limit the damage of brexit. I have known how brexiteers think via their academic counterparts and they do not know how to give up even when common sense is in front of them. Brexit is like the ‘theory of everything ‘ – it is meaningless hype couched in wishful thinking , vague language and simply make things up as they go along. A cult in other words.
And still no one knows. Nothing signed so nothing legally binding,the more they say the more unconvincing it gets.
Brokenshire now says it’s not a legally binding agreement. All this it is/it’s not seems to placate the DUP. Will ye come out and say if it’s a legally binding agreement or not. No middle ground.
@Paul Coughlan: read it and figure it out for yourself https://goo.gl/HNn8qQ
I’d say Arlene “please Foster me UK” had an epic melt down post Leos speeches hense the brits row back
I hope Leo and Coveney don’t continue on with this policy of appeasement,you have the EU behind you and will never get a chance to negotiate on equal terms.
The Brits are really on top of their brief re all things brexit.
..said no one ever.
This is what messy negotiations with an inept UK government looks like folks.
No matter what, The Sun will blame the evil EU and Ireland for Brexit being a disaster.
@alphanautica: don’t buy the sun. A joke of a newspaper.
WHO CARES, Ireland is fooked
@Christy Pop: i think you’ll find we will be okay.
@Christy Pop: really, why is that ?
@Christy Pop: You and your inferiority complex again Christy. You need to wake up ouwatha’.
When the United Kingdom leaves the EU there will be a border/ frontier hard or soft ( hard n soft can mean totally opposite things depending on how one views them ) between them though it may be well camouflaged in sweetheart words by both UK and EU but IT will be legally binding .
Ireland’s soft border and other Brexit agreements should be confirmed and guaranteed by the EU so that if the UK hits extreme recession look for outs, that the EU is there to
pick up the tab. We dont want to be negatively impacyed by our EU membership for a second time. We bailed out the banks to avert an EU systemic failure but all the EU
could offer was 5.9% bonds and a loss of our sovereignty with working class Irish
picking up the banking tab.
The guiding principle for our Brexit-EU negotiations now should be ” Once bitten, twice shy”.
Can Davis be trusted now, he hunt with the hound and run with the fox?
@Alois Irlmaier: They need a motion of no confidence – I’d have fired this loser last year.
It’s one thing for David Davis to clarify his statement but there are still massive differences in perception of what Friday’s agreement commits both sides to.
Lol
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