Absolutely!

Just give them integrated travel cards.

Well seeing the trenchant criticism of Penrose on here for resigning earlier on this week, him resigning over bus lanes would be even sillier.

Varadkar’s a joke anyway…made his name by takng a shortcut through Bertie one day and has been barking ever since. A classic example if one were needed of how this current batch were peoples champions in opposition. I simply brush aside anything this muppet has to say,,,,,

Seriously??

They cant be prosecuted for anything if they are on there way to the Dàil. It harks back to the civil war times

What’s the probability of that ever happening?

Happened a few years back when a drunk TD knocked down a lady around the north side.

In that case, Garret, the Ming can have a smoke on his way to the Happy Farm…

Jim mcdaid is emailing his solicitor as I type this

Cormac. If you’re referring to former FF TD, GV Wright, he’d been drinking in the Dáil bar and was heading home. He was done: http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1107/wrightgv.html

McDaid was heading away from Dublin. Although he could be excused fro thinking he was Dáil bound, as that’s the carriageway he was on.

Pair of p******s…

That was my first thought too.

“All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others”
George Orwell.

Hes free to use any excuse, anything at all….just GO!!!

Pfft. Have you SEEN how many TDs are actually present in the Dail on any given day?

This benefit isn’t for backbenchers, it’s for cabinet ministers who have busy schedules. If they’re able to use bus lanes they’ll waste less time getting from A to B, the result being that they’ll get more work done and we’ll get more bang for our buck. And it’s not like using bus lanes costs anything.

Ah yes ok I stand corrected. However, I don’t see why their flitting to every opening of an envelope or ribbon cutting ceremony is anymore important than the clients i visit or business I try to grow each day whilst driving through the traffic. I also don’t have the luxury of claiming back the 600 euro I spent in tolls last year and the 1200 euro in motor tax from the taxpayer..
Ministers should be overseeing their departments and keeping the wheels turning not max

If it takes less time to get from A to B, how can they get more work done in less time?

Well it just means they get to the Funny Farm a lot quicker. The urgency is to see what other extreme measures they can inflict on their citizens to hand over to Frau Merkel.

True, but what we really should have built is carpool lanes.

You’re dead right there. These latchikos have lost sight of that small point for being overpriviledged and overpaid for too long. As far as I can see they’re not earning their keep.

is that you Leo :)

He only put his “objections”on the record because he was probably peeved that his Ministry isn’t on the list to use these lanes?

Leo..? Or the bus lanes? Or both?

if ministers had to sit in traffic jams like the rest of us, they might do something about them

You’re not very logical are you? What about airline pilots, doctors, businessmen, editors of newspapers, footballers etc etc etc I’m surprised so few people are insensed by this…

Ministers should also get a priority lane in accident & emergency waiting rooms. I don’t want them to be sacrificing any time waiting for treatment, when they could be fixing our country.

I have an important job that requires me to be places at a minuets notice, can I also use the bus lane? I’m only one extra car…

Let them get up earlier in the morning to be on time so, like the rest of us do.

Exactly, I see no problem with this at all. We’ve made the savings on drivers and cars so it’s a fair concession to allow the use of bus lanes while on official business to and from the Dail. I don’t see the problem if it’s on official business.

The other thing is this lark about “secrecy”. If it’s a law it’s proposed on paper and in the public domain as a record. It was never a secret.

Of course the big drawback is that the perk will somewhat be lessened as by driving a regular car in a bus lane means that you will be a constant target for being pulled over by the Gardai. Sure you have the get out of jail card it slows you down.

It is the arrogant elitism thats wrong. Many prfofeesions and trades do urgent or in some cases vital work without such dispensation. It is the assumption that their time is more valuable than anyone elses that galls.

And as already said in these comments, unless they experience the difficulties that the rest of us put up with, they will do nothing about them.

You’re right on the money there, Peter. These people are not our rulers. They are not special. They are public servants, and the same rules should apply to them as to everybody else. It is disgusting to see them heaping privileges on themselves of any kind, and this pleading, “but, but, they gave up the cars and the drivers” rings hollow to me, because they should never have had those things in the first place.

Brian says, “Of course the big drawback is that the perk will somewhat be lessened as by driving a regular car in a bus lane means that you will be a constant target for being pulled over by the Gardai.” which is true enough.
But while the fuzz are stopping and quizzing the occupant of the car, thoroughly to ensure no abuse of privilige, how many ordinary folk are going to be held up in the buses in the queue while it’s being done?

It’s stupid to allow it at all. Apart from buses only a vehicle with a flashing blue light should be allowed in the bus lane.

And for chrissake, don’t let the gobshites award themselves those.

His was revoked…

And licence has a ‘C’ as its the noun, not the verb

The irritating creeping americanisation of the language.

Just sayin…..

Sarah you are right that in the great scheme of things whether or not a minister uses a bus lane will change nothing.
What is worrying is that they see themselves as great panjandrums who are above us mere plebs and deserve special treatment.