Bus Éireann announces Clonmel to Dublin bus service to close on April 2

Bus Éireann has announced it will close the X7 Clonmel to Dublin bus service from Sunday, April 2 as the prospect of strike action over cuts to staff pay, working conditions and bus services looms. 

The new date for the axing of the toue, which operates 8 bus services daily between Clonmel and Dublin, was announced by acting chief executive of Bus Éireann Ray Harnan in a letter to staff yesterday. 

He also announced the closure and reduction of other threatened bus services around the country in the letter.  The Dublin-Limerick and Dublin-Galway services will be reduced from April 2 while the Athlone- Westport service will cease on April 16 and the Dublin-Derry service will cease on June 25. .

Mr Harnan said unions had indicated a willingness to negotiate and accept a loss of overtime earnings in recent correspondence. But he said it was very clear this only related to ad-hoc overtime. As a result, he said there was no basis for talks reconvening, so difficult decisions had to be taken. 

The group of trade unions representing workers at Bus Éireann are meeting today to decide a comprehensive reaction to Mr Harnan's letter.