The Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe has warned drivers that they, not the taxpayer, will pay the price for the bus strike.
Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus services resume today after a 48 hour strike in a row over plans to privatise up to a tenth of all bus routes.
However, as five more days of work stoppages could be on the cards the true cost of the strike is being counted - Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann say the two days cost 3 million euro in lost revenue and the retail sector are also reporting millions of euro in lost sales.
Management are taking High Court legal action to reclaim earnings and Minister Donohoe says he will not be asking the Irish taxpayer to pay these costs.
