Iarnrod Eireann and the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association will each have to bear its own costs from ILDA's unsuccessful Supreme Court appeal against a High Court decision that the company is not obliged to negotiate with it.
Judgment in the appeal was given last week but the question of costs was adjourned to yesterday when the court decided it would make no order on costs. The Supreme Court also decided not to change a High Court decision that both sides should bear their own costs from last year's High Court hearing.
The ILDA faced a legal bill for more than £80,000 after it lost its High Court action but its executive secretary, Mr Brendan Ogle, denies this has increased substantially as a result of yesterday's decision. He did not wish to breach confidentiality with the association's legal team but added, "we don't feel ourselves under any extra financial pressure as a result of the hearing."
According to returns made to the Registrar of Friendly Societies for last year, the ILDA received subscriptions worth £15,000 from its 114 members. The members also advanced loans worth £35,000.
The company was equally reluctant to give figures for legal costs in the case but confirmed these had run well into six figures.