The two unions involved in the one-day DART drivers' strike scheduled for Monday, which will leave up to 50,000 commuters stranded if it occurs, have accepted an Iarnrod Eireann invitation to talks today in an attempt to resolve the stalemate.
Both SIPTU and the National Bus and Rail Union responded positively to the invitation from Mr John Keenan, the company's human resources manager, to meet suburban rail management at Connolly Station.
The company's case is that it has already paid the DART drivers £8,000 each to co-operate with the extension of the DART line to Greystones, as well as for working the much-improved Malahide service. The unions were blocking the introduction of "six new fully-trained drivers to allow us to operate the service to Grey stones and Malahide", a company spokesman said.
Monday's stoppage, if it occurs, will be the first in a series of one-day strikes planned by the DART drivers.