Iarnród Éireann strike speculation denied

Unions and management at Iarnród Éireann have denied industrial action is in the offing at the transport company, in the wake of claims by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar there could be strikes “within the next one to two months”.

In an interview he gave to a newspaper last week, but which was published yesterday, the minister said he hoped the two sides could reach agreement, but he was “not hopeful”.

For the last 12 months, unions and management have been in talks on the company’s requirement for €8.5m in savings, including €4.7m from the staff pay bill involving pay cuts for the 3,800 staff.