The Minister for Transport has urged both sides in CIE "to be non confrontational and to abandon adversarial approaches" to industrial relations. Mr Lowry made his comments after holding separate meetings with the chairman of CIE, Mr Brian Joyce, and a deputation from the Parliamentary Labour Party.
He said that at the meeting with the CIE chairman he had aged the importance of negotiations being carried out in a spilt of partnership and realism. He also agreed fully with the company's need to cut costs.
Later, the Labour delegation, led by its chairman, Mr Michael Bell, and the chairman of the Labour Party, Mr Jim Kemmy, met Mr Lowry. The delegation asked Mr Lowry to ensure that Bus Eireann and Iarnrod Eireann managements withdraw their deadlines for implementing changes without the agreement of the CIE group of unions. Afterwards, Mr Bell said he was "satisfied with Mr Lowry's response".
CIE is not commenting on "the political pressure from Labour and Democratic Left backbenchers for it to adopt a more conciliatory approach.