It was announced last year that 10% of all Dublin Bus Routes would be privatised in 2015. All the routes which are proposed to be privatised are satellite routes and some local routes around the city. The National Transport Authority will tender theses routes out in late 2015. One of the routes up for tender is the popular Chapelizord to Tallaght bus route.

Speaking about the proposed privatisation of some Dublin Bus routes People Before Profit Councillor Gino Kenny has said ,

” Back in 2011 people power in Clondalkin and Rathcoole brought sense to Dublin Bus’ proposed axing of the 69 bus route. This privatisation of the 76 bus route from Ballyfermot to Tallaght is only the thin edge of the wedge of an all out privatisation of a public service. The history of privatisation tells us that privatisation of public transport has been unmitigating disaster in Britain for both worker and service user”.

“Dublin Bus’ Network Direct cut a lot of smaller commuter routes which has had a major impact on communities around Dublin. The government’s subvention to public transport (Public Service Obligation) is very low in comparison to european models of public transport. In fact Ireland has one of the lowest subvention rates in the European union.  Fine Gael in particular have had an ideological fetish about the privatisation of public transport in Dublin. This will only lead to a poorer service for all users of all public transport. If you invest in public transport which is cheap and accessible people are more than likely going to use a public service rather than a private car”