Talks aimed at averting a strike at ESB which could see pre-Christmas power cuts are taking place today.

There is something chilling about the response by Brendan Ogle, head of the ESB Group of Unions, to proposals that customers switch suppliers if a threatened strike goes ahead next month and leads to power cuts.

Two senior Government Ministers have described the threatened industrial action at ESB as "unnecessary".

The ESB Group of Unions will meet this morning to discuss the next step in their industrial dispute with management.

A union leader at ESB said that it is difficult to predict how householders and businesses would be affected by a potential strike at the electricity supplier.

ESB workers will be balloted for the right to take any defensive measures “up to and including strike action” if the Government goes through with its plan to sell off the company.

The Government has vowed to retain majority control of the ESB after it agreed to part-privatise the semi-state company to meet commitments under the EU/IMF bailout deal.

The Government has agreed to privatise part of the ESB to meet commitments set out in the EU/IMF bailout deal.

The ESB Group of Unions has said the Government could make more money from this semi-state company if they hold onto it , rather than sell it.

The ESB Group of Unions is to hold talks with the company about the workers pension fund.

ELECTRICITY bills have risen dramatically over the past 10 years, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern admitted yesterday.

The ESB was facing further turmoil tonight after unions voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the Government’s plans for the future of the company.

A MAJOR restructuring of the ESB could be on the cards as the company prepares to enter talks on handing over an increased share of the State asset to its 8,000 employees.