Irish Rail and Dublin Bus services likely to face disruption on Wednesday

Services operated by Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann seem likely to face some disruption for a period on Wednesday as staff are expected join protests in support of Bus Éireann.

However, any work stoppages by workers at Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann would be unofficial and so the extent of any disruption is unknown.

Currently both Irish Rail and Dublin Bus services are operating as normal this morning.

About 2,600 employees at Bus Éireann have been on strike since last Friday in a dispute over plans by management to introduce new cost-saving efficiency measures and work practice changes without agreement.

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The Minister for Transport Shane Ross is scheduled to give a presentation to the Oireachtas transport committee on Bus Éireann on Wednesday at lunchtime.

To coincide with the Minister's appearance at the committee, a protest is to be held outside Leinster House .

Informed sources close to the Bus Éireann dispute believe that some Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann employees will stop work to take part in the demonstration.

The companies said on Tuesday they had received no notification of any work stoppages, but said they would notify passengers of any disruption at the earliest opportunity.

Any disruption to Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann services would likely take place over the lunchtime period, possibly from just before midday to 2pm or 3pm.

On Wednesday, Mr Ross will again insist he will not intervene in the current dispute, but will tell the committee that he would give a commitment to carry out a review of public transport policy which would allow for an in-depth consideration of all relevant issues facing the future of the sector.

He will say that he is prepared to meet interested parties, including trade unions, about public transport policy issues that are of concern.

“However any such discussions, in whatever form they take, cannot take place during an industrial relations dispute or when a strike is being threatened.”

The Minister will rule out “ dictating to management and unions about their internal issues”.

He will say he will not get involved in discussions about how the company organises itself and will argue that “these are areas for agreement between management and unions”.

“I know that there are those with concerns about policy. There are those who expect me to say that that the regime for commercial licensing is somehow flawed even though public transport numbers have increased and connectivity is being enhanced.

"I will not shy away from examining our policy and laws to ensure they are doing the job we expect them to. I've already received a report from the National Transport Authority on the legal technicalities of the bus licensing system. They've identified amendments that could be made to improve the system as it currently stands. My Department is reviewing that report and I will consider my Department's review and bring forward what amendments I think necessary to improve the bus licensing system."

Meanwhile, the Unite trade union,which represents craft workers at Bus Éireann, said its members were backed by a €40 million strike fund held by the union which operates in both Britain and Ireland.