Bus and rail strike threat recedes

THE threat of crippling strike action at CIE receded last night as Transport Minister Séamus Brennan bowed to union pressure.

In a surprising development, Department of Transport secretary general Julie O'Neill wrote to unions yesterday saying that Mr Brennan was prepared to talk to unions about alternatives to plans to privatise 25% of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann routes.

Before yesterday's letter, SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers Union (NBRU) were widely expected to announce a resumption of strike action today. Ms O'Neill's letter said that Mr Brennan remained "firmly of the view that franchising is the most effective way of achieving genuine market entry to new entrants."