Latest: Dublin Bus and Irish Rail staff to be balloted on industrial action 'in support of Bus Éireann staff'

Latest: The National Bus and Railworkers Union has called today's statement from management at Bus Éireann "bizarre and extraordinary".

Update - 5.50pm: The National Bus and Railworkers Union has called today's statement from management at Bus Éireann "bizarre and extraordinary".

The General Secretary of the NBRU, Dermot O'Leary, said: "This statement from Bus Éireann is nothing short of bizarre and extraordinary, given that 2,500 staff have been on strike for four days in response to the imposition of cuts to pay and conditions, resulting from the correspondence to all staff on the 22nd March.