Lyric FM news, outside broadcasting units and RT╔'s construction workshop division, which produces sets for television programmes, are being targeted for closure by management at the national broadcasting station. It also proposes to scale down the "Nationwide" regional news magazine and reduce its freelance budget by £2 million (€2.54 million) a year.

In a statement last night, RT╔ said the executive board proposed "a number of in-house activities will cease, with the reduction of at least 160 posts and a significant reduction in the number of freelance engagements". However it refused to comment on details of specific cuts.

Sources within the company and the unions said that cutbacks would include all the above areas unless the RT╔ authority chooses to override the executive board. The authority will receive the final proposals from the executive board tomorrow morning, after a last round of talks between management and unions at divisional level today.

Last night, unions most affected by the changes indicated they would resist the proposed cutbacks strongly, especially if the work was to be subcontracted out. Members of RT╔'s craft unions said they would strike if necessary to prevent closure of the construction workshops.

Last year they accepted 50 per cent job cuts in the Transformation Plan on the basis that it would guarantee job security for those left.

The number of NUJ members affected by the £2 million cut in freelance budgets is estimated at around 30, with a similar number of SIPTU members involved.