Transport Minister Shane Ross defended his response to the turmoil at Bus Éireann during bad tempered exchanges in the Dáil.
He also denied that he talked about "axing" six to eight of the transport company's Expressway routes at Cabinet, though he said he discussed certain routes and "whether they're commercial or not".
The situation at Bus Éireann was raised in the Dáil amid its clash with unions over pay and the financial losses on its Expressway service.
Fianna Fáil transport spokesman Robert Troy said people around the country are "terrified" they won't have a bus service in the new year.
He said he has been contacted by people who rely on Bus Éireann to get to hospital appointments and visit relatives.
Addressing Mr Ross he said: "I don't know whether they've been contacting you. I don't know did you ever travel on a bus in your life. But there's people out there outside of Dublin minister who rely on Bus Éireann, who rely on the Expressway service in order to go about their daily lives," he said.
Mr Ross didn't initially respond directly instead referring to Mr Troy's absence from a transport committee meeting this morning.
"We'll try and arrange the meetings of the joint committee in future to suit you Deputy Troy so that you can shout and roar down there as well as up here," he said.
The pair rowed about this throughout their exchange.
Mr Troy claimed the minister is "more interested in tackling the man than tackling the issue". He said he had tried to have the meeting rescheduled because he couldn't attend due to a prior engagementt. He said it is "deeply unfair and absolutely nonsensical" to suggest he doesn't engage fully with the committee.
Returning to the subject of Bus Éireann, Mr Ross said that Mr Troy knows the "seriousness of the situation" at the company because "I have publically commented on it numerous times".
"For the Deputy to affect surprise at what I say or to affect outrage is disingenuous at best."
Mr Ross said he has been repeatedly briefed by his officials on the issue facing Bus Éireann and has met the chairperson of the company twice, most recently this week "at which the stark challenges facing the company were again underlined to me".
Earlier Mr Troy asked Mr Ross if he was willing to join talks with Bus Éireann management, the unions and the National Transport Authority.
Mr Ross said he's been "clear" since taking office that issues relating to pay and conditions at State-owned companies "are a matter for discussion and agreement between employers and the employees."
"I’m aware that Bus Éireann is considering options to address the significant financial losses which result from its commercial Expressway service. The formulation and progression of those plans are a matter for Bus Éireann," he added.
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster asked Mr Ross about reports that he had told Cabinet that between six and eight Expressway routes are at risk.
Mr Ross said that while he did address the issue of "various routes" the numbers quoted in reports are "inaccurate".
He said: "What has to be looked at obviously is certain routes and whether they’re commercial or not, what should be done about them.
"But I do not believe that I talked in terms of actually axing routes," Mr Ross added.
He said he briefed ministers on the situation at Bus Éireann to inform them of what was happening, not because there are decisions to be made at this time.
"I was keeping them in touch with the situation as it existed then and the gravity of the situation which I wouldn’t like to underestimate," Mr Ross added.
Online Editors
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