The new single grant-awarding authority is Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).

Xenophile

In my opinion SUSI should have been set up as a Private Sector Company.


The new single grant-awarding authority is Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). It will handle all new grant applications for 2012-2013 through studentfinance.ie.

The Student Support Act 2011 became law last year and this legislation allows for fundamental reform of the student grants system.

So hopefully in future years the private sector will be asked to tender for same. It can only lead to greater efficiencies.

frankosw

Xenophile wrote: »

In my opinion SUSI should have been set up as a Private Sector Company.


The new single grant-awarding authority is Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). It will handle all new grant applications for 2012-2013 through studentfinance.ie.

The Student Support Act 2011 became law last year and this legislation allows for fundamental reform of the student grants system.

So hopefully in future years the private sector will be asked to tender for same. It can only lead to greater efficiencies.

Where will the private sector get money to pay the wages of thier staff?

Xenophile

frankosw wrote: »

Where will the private sector get money to pay the wages of thier staff?

The taxpayer through the Dept.of Education.

Of course there would have to be a cost benefit to the State. You obviously would have to put it to tender as is proposed doing this with the National Lottery or to take another example, the NCT.

frankosw

Xenophile wrote: »

The taxpayer through the Dept.of Education.

Of course there would have to be a cost benefit to the State. You obviously would have to put it to tender as is proposed doing this with the National Lottery or to take another example, the NCT.

If the taxpayer is paying for it its hardly a private enterprise now is it?

Scortho

I couldnt see Susi being set up as a private sector company just to administer the grant as then you basically have the state paying there pay.

what the OP was getting at I think was that it'd go to tender with a private sector company that specialize in outsourcing of this nature. If they don't deliver on time/targets agreed with government, they get penalized.
Now of course a new company could be established to provide this outsourcing by a private individual or group of individual
but i dont think the SUSI work alone would keep them in business long enough.

Out of curiosity what happens to SUSI staff when they finish giving out grants in the next few weeks? Do they get redeployed as its a bit early to start administering next years!

frankosw

Scortho wrote: »

what the OP was getting at I think was that it'd go to tender with a private sector company that specialize in outsourcing of this nature. If they don't deliver on time/targets agreed with government, they get penalized.
Now of course a new company could be established to provide this outsourcing by a private individual or group of individual
but i dont think the SUSI work alone would keep them in business long enough.

The point is that third level education,like the public health service is free to the citizens of this country.

The HEA pay the wages of anybody who works in third level education unless its a private institute.

To outsource anything like this as a private concern would requiere a fee from anybody using it and that would not fly amongst the students of ireland who have opposed any sort of fee paying for many years.

If you want private companies to do a job you must be prepared to pay them privately.

murphaph

frankosw wrote: »

The point is that third level education,like the public health service is free to the citizens of this country.

The HEA pay the wages of anybody who works in third level education unless its a private institute.

To outsource anything like this as a private concern would requiere a fee from anybody using it and that would not fly amongst the students of ireland who have opposed any sort of fee paying for many years.

If you want private companies to do a job you must be prepared to pay them privately.

Huh? The state sets targets for a company to meet (x applications processed per year, max wait time of y days and so on) and companies tender for the contract.

Of course the taxpayer ultimately pays the wages of the private company employees, but the private company should (if history has taught is anything) generally be able to do the same work for less money as compared to public sector staff doing it.

The driving tests and NCT are existing examples.

frankosw

murphaph wrote: »

but the private company should (if history has taught is anything) generally be able to do the same work for less money as compared to public sector staff doing it.

The driving tests and NCT are existing examples.

Ah..so who did the NCT before it was privatised and how much was the fee?

It's 50 euros now so i presume it was more expensive?

murphaph

frankosw wrote: »

Ah..so who did the NCT before it was privatised and how much was the fee?

It's 50 euros now so i presume it was more expensive?

The NCT was tendered out from the start. It has always been run by a private firm. Car testing was mandated by the EU...we were forced to introduce it (it's basically a sound idea of course) and we tendered out.

If the NCT was directly run by a government department, it would cost €100 and your appointment could be dropped like a hot stone any time they wanted (think passport office fiasco).

frankosw

murphaph wrote: »

The NCT was tendered out from the start. It has always been run by a private firm. Car testing was mandated by the EU...we were forced to introduce it (it's basically a sound idea of course) and we tendered out.).

So you have no reason to suppose it would be done any more expensively by the Govt because it never in fact was done any other way apart from privately.

murphaph wrote: »

If the NCT was directly run by a government department, it would cost €100 and your appointment could be dropped like a hot stone any time they wanted (think passport office fiasco).

You're absolutely sure of this?

murphaph wrote: »

and your appointment could be dropped like a hot stone any time they wanted (think passport office fiasco).

Really?

So its better now that its run privately?

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/seanad/2011/07/06/00019.asp

I am seeking to obtain an update on the investigation into fraud at national car test, NCT, centres and to discover what the Department has done to ensure that no car passes the NCT fraudulently. In recent days I was approached by a concerned individual who bought a car only last week which had passed its NCT one or two weeks prior to that. When he brought the car home, he took it to his local mechanic who telephoned him a couple of days later and stated that there was no way it could have passed the NCT because several major parts needed to be replaced. How could a car pass the NCT when that is the case?
It is obvious that an endemic problem remains in respect of car testing. The individuals at NCT centres who are culpable in the context of passing cars which should not be passed are causing real danger by allowing potentially defective vehicles back onto our roads. People are driving their families on roads on which they may encounter unsafe cars. We see road safety advertisements every day about dangerous driving and showing us the human tragedies of car accidents. What about dangerous cars? This is an important issue. Why must we wait for a “Prime Time Investigates” special? What happens when the sensationalism and the spotlight die down after the “Prime Time Investigates” programme? It seems that the heat dies down but the fraud goes on. What is happening to ensure our national car testing service is being properly delivered? What monitoring takes place to ensure our cars are being properly tested so that people are not hoodwinked? What happens to cars that have been passed fraudulently? Two months since the “Prime Time Investigates” programme was broadcast, this fraud is still going on. I know this from the concerned person who came to me. On the “Prime Time Investigates” programme, the person interviewed highlighted the point that fraud was going on not just in the centres identified in the programme but nationwide.

:rolleyes:

murphaph

Most of the items on the consumer price index have been falling in price over the last 5 years....except anything provided by the state: health care, education, fuel (state takes most of the cut).

Go figure!

frankosw

murphaph wrote: »

Most of the items on the consumer price index have been falling in price over the last 5 years....except anything provided by the state: health care, education, fuel (state takes most of the cut).

Go figure!

But the NCT was more expensive last year and has dropped in price?

Sky have reduced thier prices too i take it?

What about the VHI?

MBNA?

Ryanair?

Guinness?

Or this?

The Central Statistics Office Wholesale Price Index shows that factory gate prices increased 1% between July and August, the third monthly increase in a row.
The largest monthly price increases were recorded in computer products and dairy products

Building and construction material prices increased by 2.7% in the twelve months to August, with a notable increase of 13% in the price of stone, concrete blocks, bricks and glass all recorded price increases.

You actually dont know what you're talking about.

murphaph

frankosw wrote: »

You actually dont know what you're talking about.

That's right frank, RTE, CIE, the HSE and the rest of them provide efficient, cost effective services and the private sector is where all the problems are. How stupid of me not to have realised that CIE is the world's most effective transport operator that runs on a shoestring budget and whose staff are shining examples of customer service. Oh, don't forget the passport office or the PRTB who only took 5 weeks to respond to an email I sent them-lightning fast. Private sector couldn't compare.

Xenophile

frankosw wrote: »

If the taxpayer is paying for it its hardly a private enterprise now is it?

Ultimately the tax payer pays for everything.

Maybe it's time that the up and coming generation ....ie....Secondary school pupils were asked to write an essay on the subject............."There is no such thing as a free lunch"....Maybe with a bit of luck this may appear as a question on a Leaving Cert paper soon. In the meantime keep in mind that founding the fathers of this State knew that from the very beginning. It's now time to get back to basic economics.

frankosw

murphaph wrote: »

That's right frank, RTE, CIE, the HSE and the rest of them provide efficient, cost effective services and the private sector is where all the problems are. How stupid of me not to have realised that CIE is the world's most effective transport operator that runs on a shoestring budget and whose staff are shining examples of customer service. Oh, don't forget the passport office or the PRTB who only took 5 weeks to respond to an email I sent them-lightning fast. Private sector couldn't compare.

So you've been owned on the NCT and now you've jumped to CIE whom you consider to be bad service?

I suppose you could use the private sector alternative which is to take a taxi..a 3 mile journey shouldnt cost you more than 20 euros.

Its also difficult to see what the passport office has to do with anything..usually if i intend to travel i make sure i have a valid passport. If you DO need one in a hurry for whatever stupid reason,i would advise agaisnt emailing them..i'd go in in person or send the neccesary documents by Swiftpost.


Again i'm sure you can get things like passports more efficiently through the private sector..perhaps you know a man in a pub who can get you one for under the 45 euro or so it costs through the passport office.

Perhaps with all your ideas and solutions you should stand fro government office and your ticket can be The Privatisation and Improvement Of All Services Without Additional Expense".

robp

frankosw wrote: »

So you've been owned on the NCT and now you've jumped to CIE whom you consider to be bad service?

I suppose you could use the private sector alternative which is to take a taxi..a 3 mile journey shouldnt cost you more than 20 euros.

Its also difficult to see what the passport office has to do with anything..usually if i intend to travel i make sure i have a valid passport. If you DO need one in a hurry for whatever stupid reason,i would advise agaisnt emailing them..i'd go in in person or send the neccesary documents by Swiftpost.


Again i'm sure you can get things like passports more efficiently through the private sector..perhaps you know a man in a pub who can get you one for under the 45 euro or so it costs through the passport office.

Perhaps with all your ideas and solutions you should stand fro government office and your ticket can be The Privatisation and Improvement Of All Services Without Additional Expense".

I don't see the huge problem with putting certain services out to tender if it can be shown to succeed a cost-benefit analysis. There are certain arms of the state which must not be privatised but I expect others could be be. I don't see why the government would need tight control in this area unless I am missing something.

murphaph

frankosw wrote: »

So you've been owned on the NCT and now you've jumped to CIE whom you consider to be bad service?

I suppose you could use the private sector alternative which is to take a taxi..a 3 mile journey shouldnt cost you more than 20 euros.

The equivalent to CIE is not a taxi. :rolleyes:

frankosw wrote: »

Its also difficult to see what the passport office has to do with anything..usually if i intend to travel i make sure i have a valid passport. If you DO need one in a hurry for whatever stupid reason,i would advise agaisnt emailing them..i'd go in in person or send the neccesary documents by Swiftpost.


Again i'm sure you can get things like passports more efficiently through the private sector..perhaps you know a man in a pub who can get you one for under the 45 euro or so it costs through the passport office.

45?

Passport Office wrote:

When applying in person at a Passport Office or by ordinary or registered post the fees are:

Standard 10-year, 32-page passport (aged 18 and over): €95
Large 10-year 66-page passport (aged 18 and over): €125
5-year passport (children aged 3-17 years): €41.50
3-year passport (children aged under 3): €31

As for going in in person....some of us have jobs to go to and can't afford to sit around the bloody passport office for hours on end!

I myself had the delightful experience of trying to renew from abroad. Farcical process!

Sleepy

frankosw wrote: »

So you've been owned on the NCT and now you've jumped to CIE whom you consider to be bad service?

I suppose you could use the private sector alternative which is to take a taxi..a 3 mile journey shouldnt cost you more than 20 euros.

Or, let's compare like with like. Drivers working for Bus Eireann in Galway refused to drive the Swift buses their employers had bought. They eventually got sold to CityDirect who have run an efficient service around the city for the past decade or so...

Or price of a return ticket from Dublin to Galway tomorrow:

Bus Eireann: €18.05
GoBus: €10

Your arguments make less sense than your union reps bloated salaries.

Scortho

frankosw wrote: »

To outsource anything like this as a private concern would requiere a fee from anybody using it and that would not fly amongst the students of ireland who have opposed any sort of fee paying for many years.

If you want private companies to do a job you must be prepared to pay them privately.

So who pays the people administrating the SUSI grant?

Or are you trying to tell me that there are people in the public sector working for free?

RobbieTheRobber

Sleepy wrote: »

Or, let's compare like with like. Drivers working for Bus Eireann in Galway refused to drive the Swift buses their employers had bought. They eventually got sold to CityDirect who have run an efficient service around the city for the past decade or so...

Or price of a return ticket from Dublin to Galway tomorrow:

Bus Eireann: €18.05
GoBus: €10

Your arguments make less sense than your union reps bloated salaries.

Your not comparing like with like.

gobus is an airport shuttle bus running services from cork and galway to dublin airport.
Anyway your price is wrong I just priced dublin to galway and got a 14 euro one way and 19 euro return.
I could take a family return for 38 euro.
how much is a family return on gobus sleepy?

Sleepy

Go-Bus also drop in Dublin City. I'm guessing you checked the price for the airport or something if you think mine are wrong?

Family of four costs €35. Not a huge saving admittedly, but still cheaper.

Galway To Dublin City, Nov 16, 2012 returning Nov 18th - €35.00
Source: www.gobus.ie

The Private Bus companies have always offered a better and cheaper service on the Dublin - Galway route.

frankosw

Sleepy wrote: »

The Private Bus companies have always offered a better and cheaper service on the Dublin - Galway route.

So what private bus operator serves the myriad suburbs of dublin cheaper than Dublin Bus?

Sleepy

IIRC, Dublin Bus have exclusive license to most of their routes which makes it hard for private operators to compete with them.

Based on the experience of City Direct in Galway however, I'd wager the private sector would make a far better fist of servicing those routes. Dublin Bus has been destroyed by the greedy unions operating within it.

frankosw

Sleepy wrote: »

IIRC, Dublin Bus have exclusive license to most of their routes which makes it hard for private operators to compete with them.

Based on the experience of City Direct in Galway however, I'd wager the private sector would make a far better fist of servicing those routes. Dublin Bus has been destroyed by the greedy unions operating within it.

Blah blah blah greedy unions blah blah.

The bus routes operate efficiently,on time and quite cheaply but:

You havnt answered my question.

What private bus route serves the dublin suburbs?


A bus from finglas to Ballyfermot cost 2.25..how much would a taxi cost in the abscence of private sector bus providers?

There are of course plenty of taxis but they charge 4 euro per mile or something like that.

sammykilroy

Hi i recieved a letter yesterday saying ive been awarded the following :

Award:100% tuition fees and 100% student/ contribution ( subject to maximum 6,270)
Maintenance grant: e0.00

Can someone who knows, please tell me how much am i getting?
Is it lump some or installments
If installments how much each installment?
My fee for college is 2250.
Im very confused with all this dont know the diff between student contribution, tuition or maintanace.

frankosw

sammykilroy wrote: »

Hi i recieved a letter yesterday saying ive been awarded the following :

Award:100% tuition fees and 100% student/ contribution ( subject to maximum 6,270)
Maintenance grant: e0.00

Can someone who knows, please tell me how much am i getting?
Is it lump some or installments
If installments how much each installment?
My fee for college is 2250.
Im very confused with all this dont know the diff between student contribution, tuition or maintanace.

It means you dont have to pay for your education..the govt is doing it for you via the taxpayer.

If your education was to be handled by a private firm your fees would probably be in the region of 30 k per anum.

sammykilroy

So how much will i be getting? My fees for college are 2250 so is it just that or more?

Sleepy

frankosw wrote: »

Blah blah blah greedy unions blah blah.

The bus routes operate efficiently,on time and quite cheaply but:

You havnt answered my question.

What private bus route serves the dublin suburbs?


A bus from finglas to Ballyfermot cost 2.25..how much would a taxi cost in the abscence of private sector bus providers?

There are of course plenty of taxis but they charge 4 euro per mile or something like that.

RTFP, I answered your question. Unless you start displaying an ability to actually read what's written on this forum you're going to become the first poster I've ever used the ignore feature on. Broken record doesn't cover it.

Private operators aren't licensed to compete on the vast majority of routes Dublin Bus serve i.e. Dublin Bus are to all intents and purposes a monopoly yet still requires State Subvention and is running at an €18m defecit: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/1114/1224326573760.html

Hardly a sign of a well managed, efficient service that's paying it's workforce appropriately. I've family in one of their garages and the money he and his co-workers make is well, well out of line with what one might expect for their level of qualifications.

How much would a taxi cost from Finglas to Ballyfermot cost? According to http://www.worldtaximeter.com it'd be just under €20. Google Maps tells me it's walkable in 1 hour 53 mins so presumable it could be cycled in under an hour or flown by hellicopter in a matter of seconds at exorbitant cost. None of these are relevant to the issue of the bus price of course as we're comparing mass public transport with private hire...

sammykilroy

Sleepy wrote: »

RTFP, I answered your question. Unless you start displaying an ability to actually read what's written on this forum you're going to become the first poster I've ever used the ignore feature on. Broken record doesn't cover it.

Private operators aren't licensed to compete on the vast majority of routes Dublin Bus serve i.e. Dublin Bus are to all intents and purposes a monopoly yet still requires State Subvention and is running at an €18m defecit: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/1114/1224326573760.html

Hardly a sign of a well managed, efficient service that's paying it's workforce appropriately. I've family in one of their garages and the money he and his co-workers make is well, well out of line with what one might expect for their level of qualifications.

How much would a taxi cost from Finglas to Ballyfermot cost? According to http://www.worldtaximeter.com it'd be just under €20. Google Maps tells me it's walkable in 1 hour 53 mins so presumable it could be cycled in under an hour or flown by hellicopter in a matter of seconds at exorbitant cost. None of these are relevant to the issue of the bus price of course as we're comparing mass public transport with private hire...

What?

Sleepy

sammykilroy wrote: »

So how much will i be getting? My fees for college are 2250 so is it just that or more?

It should be the amount you paid to the college in September.

frankosw, while sammy is clearly in the wrong forum, could you not just have answered his/her question instead of soap-boxing?

Scortho

sammykilroy wrote: »

Hi i recieved a letter yesterday saying ive been awarded the following :

Award:100% tuition fees and 100% student/ contribution ( subject to maximum 6,270)
Maintenance grant: e0.00

Can someone who knows, please tell me how much am i getting?
Is it lump some or installments
If installments how much each installment?
My fee for college is 2250.
Im very confused with all this dont know the diff between student contribution, tuition or maintanace.

You're best bet would be to post in the student finances section as you will most likely get more accurate advice. I
m a student too but I don't get a grant so unfortunately Im of no help to you with your answer.

Link to forum is here:http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1101

Apologies to any mod if this offends/brakes charter.

Scortho

frankosw wrote: »

It means you dont have to pay for your education..the govt is doing it for you via the taxpayer.

If your education was to be handled by a private firm your fees would probably be in the region of 30 k per anum.

Other than your really helpful post, where has anyone here suggested that college fees would be increased to €30000 a year as a result of outsourcing the administration of a grant.

RobbieTheRobber

Sleepy wrote: »

IIRC, Dublin Bus have exclusive license to most of their routes which makes it hard for private operators to compete with them.

Based on the experience of City Direct in Galway however, I'd wager the private sector would make a far better fist of servicing those routes. Dublin Bus has been destroyed by the greedy unions operating within it.

A private sector company would only look to take profitable routes, it would not look to provide the full service dublin bus does.

murphaph

frankosw wrote: »

So what private bus operator serves the myriad suburbs of dublin cheaper than Dublin Bus?

Dublin bus is not cheap. It receives huge subsidies to provide the services it does.

frankosw

murphaph wrote: »

Dublin bus is not cheap.

So 2.20 for ten miles is expensive?

Try a taxi and see how much it will cost you:rolleyes:

Scortho

frankosw wrote: »

So 2.20 for ten miles is expensive?

Try a taxi and see how much it will cost you:rolleyes:

Try a subsidised taxi carrying 90 odd people. Yeah itd be cheap too.

Take away the Dublin Bus subsidy and you'll soon see their prices rising fairly rapidly. Also aren't they loss making as is.

Also taxi prices are set by the state appointed taxi regulator.
If you've any grievances take it up with him

RobbieTheRobber

Scortho wrote: »

Try a subsidised taxi carrying 90 odd people. Yeah itd be cheap too.

Take away the Dublin Bus subsidy and you'll soon see their prices rising fairly rapidly. Also aren't they loss making as is.

Also taxi prices are set by the state appointed taxi regulator.
If you've any grievances take it up with him

Taxi drivers have a maximum they can charge, they do not have to charge the maximum though!

It's important to remember, customers have the right to request a discount before engaging a taxi. Drivers have the right to charge the maximum amount calculated on the meter, or a lesser sum at their discretion. Any discounts given may be recorded in handwriting on the receipt.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/public_transport/charges_for_taxi_hackney_and_limosuine_services.html

Scortho

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Taxi drivers have a maximum they can charge, they do not have to charge the maximum though!



http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/public_transport/charges_for_taxi_hackney_and_limosuine_services.html

I'm well aware of this and if you wish to haggle and play one of the other then its up to you.
Most charge the max fair as they're entitled to as set out by the government regulator. Some however offer discounts such as 82020 etc.

As of yet I havent been able to play one bus driver of the other in order to get a cheaper bus fair!

RobbieTheRobber

Scortho wrote: »

I'm well aware of this and if you wish to haggle and play one of the other then its up to you.
Most charge the max fair as they're entitled to as set out by the government regulator. Some however offer discounts such as 82020 etc.

As of yet I havent been able to play one bus driver of the other in order to get a cheaper bus fair!

Sorry im confused by your reply.
You said the regulator sets prices, but they dont they set the max price like I said.

So Im not sure what in my post warrants the rest of your response.

Scortho

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Sorry im confused by your reply.
You said the regulator sets prices, but they dont they set the max price like I said.

So Im not sure what in my post warrants the rest of your response.

taxi drivers maximum fair is regualted. Most taxi drivers are self employed and can charge any fare that they wish. However most will charge the following prices:http://www.transportforireland.ie/taxi/fare-estimator/

Some will give you discounts however this varies from taxi to taxi.
My original response was to frankosw on the differance in bus prices.
Where you have a maximum price that can be charged by self employed people, most people in that industry charge the maximum maximum price as they do not have the economies of scale to charge less. Some will however and generally get more business as a result.
As they're not subsidised, unlike Dublin Bus, they cannot sell their service at a price below the costs of operating the service.

Chris_5339762

Sleepy wrote: »

IIRC, Dublin Bus have exclusive license to most of their routes which makes it hard for private operators to compete with them.

Based on the experience of City Direct in Galway however, I'd wager the private sector would make a far better fist of servicing those routes. Dublin Bus has been destroyed by the greedy unions operating within it.

I'd say that Dublin Bus do a hell of a better job than City Direct. Those red buses in Galway are an atrotious excuse for a service and are more expensive than the BE services. The LAST thing we want is to give operators like that shower any modicum of control over bus routes.

RobbieTheRobber

Scortho wrote: »

taxi drivers maximum fair is regualted. Most taxi drivers are self employed and can charge any fare that they wish. However most will charge the following prices:http://www.transportforireland.ie/taxi/fare-estimator/

Some will give you discounts however this varies from taxi to taxi.
My original response was to frankosw on the differance in bus prices.
Where you have a maximum price that can be charged by self employed people, most people in that industry charge the maximum maximum price as they do not have the economies of scale to charge less. Some will however and generally get more business as a result.
As they're not subsidised, unlike Dublin Bus, they cannot sell their service at a price below the costs of operating the service.

Im going to stop now becasue this thread isn't about bus drivers or taxis but rather about the SUSI.

Sleepy

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I'd say that Dublin Bus do a hell of a better job than City Direct. Those red buses in Galway are an atrotious excuse for a service and are more expensive than the BE services. The LAST thing we want is to give operators like that shower any modicum of control over bus routes.

Always found them better than the equivalent BE service in my day, though it has been nearly 10 years since I lived in Galway full-time.

That said, the fact they've managed to stay in business for those 10 years would indicate that enough of their customers consider them to be providing a good service that they've continued using them and that they're well managed enough to keep their heads above water (and contributing to the nation's coffers via employment and corporation taxes, local authority rates etc.) whilst Dublin Bus have to go cap in hand to the taxpayer every year because of their loss-making.

murphaph

frankosw wrote: »

So 2.20 for ten miles is expensive?

Try a taxi and see how much it will cost you:rolleyes:

Do you understand the difference between "cost" and "cost at the point of delivery"?

frankosw

Sleepy wrote: »

whilst Dublin Bus have to go cap in hand to the taxpayer every year because of their loss-making.

Loss-making because of the amount of people using Bus passes to get free travel..everybody from the elderly to the infirm and those with drugs problems.

No doubt the private sector bus operators would allow people free journeys if they were junkies?

Xenophile

frankosw wrote: »

No doubt the private sector bus operators would allow people free journeys if they were junkies?

Bus passes are accepted by private bus operators and they do not ask them whether they are junkies or not.

Thread away of topic so let me take this opportunity to say that in my opinion the function of SUSI should be fully privatised.

Head The Wall

frankosw wrote: »

Ah..so who did the NCT before it was privatised and how much was the fee?

It's 50 euros now so i presume it was more expensive?

Seriously you are only a troll, you said you are working 19 years and you didn't know the NCT is a recent thing?

frankosw wrote: »

Blah blah blah greedy unions blah blah.

The bus routes operate efficiently,on time and quite cheaply but:

yes, in Galway the buses turn up if they feel like it. That is a fact

Sleepy wrote: »

Always found them better than the equivalent BE service in my day, though it has been nearly 10 years since I lived in Galway full-time.

That said, the fact they've managed to stay in business for those 10 years would indicate that enough of their customers consider them to be providing a good service that they've continued using them and that they're well managed enough to keep their heads above water (and contributing to the nation's coffers via employment and corporation taxes, local authority rates etc.) whilst Dublin Bus have to go cap in hand to the taxpayer every year because of their loss-making.

City Direct and City Bin are owned and run by the same guy, city bin provides a cheaper service than the council and has done so for years. They have won the Deloitte best managed company in Ireland in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Neither the bus or waste company receive any subsidies from the govt, they operate a better cheaper service than the govt equivalent and they still manage to make profits.

murphaph wrote: »

Do you understand the difference between "cost" and "cost at the point of delivery"?

He doesn't seem to understand anything

frankosw wrote: »

Loss-making because of the amount of people using Bus passes to get free travel..everybody from the elderly to the infirm and those with drugs problems.

No doubt the private sector bus operators would allow people free journeys if they were junkies?

Again, that's a govt decision to allow that

southsiderosie

MOD NOTE:

This thread is about SUSI, NOT transport services. Please try to stay on topic.

In addition, I see many of the usual names involved in squabbling over public vs. private sector issues. Since the trench warfare is beyond tiresome at this point, restrain yourself or prepare to get banned - there have been more than enough warnings.