Public sector unions making strong case for privatisation of services - Collins

The delay in processing passports being caused by the public sector unions is making the case for the privatisation of many public sector services according to County Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins. Deputy Collins believes that the daily problems being experienced by the public in pursuing urgently needed passports is systematic of a wider problem in the public service.

“We’re effectively seeing an attempt by the public service unions to hold the public to ransom,” said Deputy Collins. “What is currently going on in the Passport Office is completely scandalous. Every citizen of this State has a constitutional right to a passport and to international travel. Yet the public sector unions are getting in the way of that right by not doing the job they are responsible for carrying out.”

“Effectively the public sector unions are making a very strong case for the privatisation of many public sector services. If the public sector is not willing to carry them out I have no doubt that the private sector will do. There would be no risk of strike action and service deliver would be guaranteed.”

“The public sector unions are currently showing that the public sector can not be relied upon for a great many duties. If that is to continue then I think we should use this time as an opportunity to look at where some of the ineffiencies could be cut from the public sector and where we could streamline some processes by privatising them,” Deputy Collins concluded.