Motion no: 51
Conference notes the many societal
problems across the Island of Ireland;
from unemployment, job insecurity, and homelessness, rural isolation to ghettoisation, deprivation, poverty and inequality. This conference agrees that urbanisation
and centralisation of public services and employment, without consideration of public transport infrastructure further compounds these problems. The importance of free public transport to alleviate these issues cannot be underestimated.
Fully funded, free public transport, provided
by the public sector would remove the significant barriers to social and economic inclusion of the Island’s citizens from the elderly to the young, those in rural areas to cities. It will provide secure employment. It will connect communities. It will help create a greener environment and tackle climate change.
Conference recognises the excellent work
of ICTU and affiliates to tackle these issues through extensive campaign work; Better Work, Better Lives, Housing as a Right, Working Time Rights etc.
Conference instructs the incoming Executive Council to develop an All-Ireland campaign; for an expanded, fully integrated, green, publicly owned, fully accessible public transport system that is ultimately free for all at the point of use, to include:
To expand access to free public transport, for the elderly, young, disabled and unemployed.
Public ownership of the public transport system.
Green investment into public transport infrastructure.
Expansion of the public transport system, to include new much needed routes to connect to and from the North West of Ireland.
Provide research of the benefits of free public transport from NERI.
Decent pay and working conditions for all workers in public transport.
