Talks on the future of CIÉ were placed under threat yesterday after a new row broke out between unions and the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan.Unions accused the Minister of acting in bad faith after he gave a newspaper interview outlining plans to privatise national bus routes.
The unions have been negotiating with the Department of Transport on the future of the Dublin bus market, which Mr Brennan wants opened up to competition.
A discussion paper was presented by the Department to the union side on Tuesday, and the two sides had planned to meet next month.
Following yesterday's interview with the Minister, however, Mr Noel Dowling of SIPTU wrote a letter of protest to the Department's secretary general, Ms Julie O'Neill.
He said it was now apparent that the negotiations were not being held in good faith, and the views of the unions were being ignored.
"We intend to consult with our colleagues in the other CIÉ unions on this latest development with a view to agreeing an appropriate response. Meanwhile you should be under no illusion that we consider this act of bad faith as having potentially the most serious consequences."
In the interview in the Irish Independent, Mr Brennan said he had decided to privatise 25 per cent of national routes operated by Bus Éireann. He would be talking to unions but his policy was not changing, he said.
Mr Liam Tobin, of the National Bus and Rail Union, said the announcement was a "nasty Christmas present for staff".
A spokesman for the Minister said Mr Brennan was determined to press ahead with opening up bus markets.
