A union representing 4,000 transport workers has decided to pull out of talks with the Department of Transport on the break-up of the CIÉ group following an emergency meeting today.
The National Bus and Railworkers' Union (NBRU) may decide later this week to proceed with strike action which would disrupt rail and bus services throughout the State.
Following an emergency meeting of the NBRU's national executive committee today, the union's general secretary, Mr Liam Tobin, told ireland.comhis union had decided it could not continue to engage in the discussion forum on CIÉ's future involving unions and Department of Transport officials.
He said that on the one hand, the union was being assured the department was committed to "meaningful discussions", while on the other, the Minister for Transport was informing the unions through the media that he intended to proceed with the break-up of the group.
Mr Tobin accused the minister of "destroying the integrity" of the talks through his engagement with the media.
The NBRU's executive committee has also mandated officers to take whatever action is necessary "in order to stop the minister and to secure their jobs", Mr Tobin said.
The NBRU and other transport unions representing CIÉ workers will meet to discuss the situation further this coming Thursday. However, Mr Tobin said he believed something, including possible strike action, would happen "very quickly".
Strike action was deferred last August after the Minister gave assurances that the CIÉ plan would not proceed until a full consultation process with the unions had been completed.
But the NBRU was angered by comments made by the Minister, Mr Brennan, in media interviews in recent weeks where he reiterated his intention to break up CIÉ and to privatise some bus services. He also said he intended to ask the chairman of CIÉ to step down and that he would not be reappointing the directors.
A spokesman for Mr Brennan, however, has defended the minister's right to comment on the issues involved and said the break-up of CIÉ was necessary to pursue his campaign of reform and modernisation of public transport services.
Commuters face severe delays and disruption if the NBRU, and possibly other unions representing CIÉ workers, decide to strike.