Intensive talks on the future of CIÉ between unions and the Department of Transport are to get under way today.
The prospects of a settlement, however, were placed in doubt yesterday when it emerged that a new study on the future of the Dublin bus market had been commissioned by the Department of Transport.
Mr Liam Tobin, general secretary of the National Bus and Rail Union, said he was "shocked" and "dismayed" at the timing of the study, which is not due to be completed until next year.
He said unions had not been made aware of the study and it could jeopardise the talks due to begin today.
It had been intended that today's discussions, chaired by Mr Kevin Foley of the Labour Relations Commission, would be the first of five successive days of intensive talks.
These are to conclude next Tuesday, by which time it was hoped agreement could be reached on plans by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, to reform public transport.
The most contentious issue is his proposal to have 25 per cent of the Dublin bus market handed over to private operators.
Negotiations with unions broke down on several occasions, but in March unions called off a planned transport stoppage at the eleventh hour and agreed to enter a new round of talks.
It is understood that progress had been made in a number of areas, such as arrangements surrounding the proposed break-up of CIÉ. The main point of contention, however, remained the manner in which competition would be introduced to the Dublin bus market.
It was learned yesterday that in March the Department asked the Dublin Transportation Office to carry out a review of bus services in the capital.
The Department's terms of reference state that the review is not intended to produce a full bus network operational plan.
But it should be sufficiently detailed to provide a framework for such a plan and to assess the range, amount and intensity of services required, the Department said. Mr Tobin said yesterday these were among the issues which unions had been negotiating with the Department.
It now appeared that regardless of what progress was made in the next five days, future arrangements depended on the outcome of a study which was not to be completed until next year.
"I am absolutely shocked, though I know I shouldn't be," he said. The development could jeopardise the talks due to begin today and increased the prospect of industrial action, he said.
Mr Michael Halpenny of the other main CIÉ union, SIPTU, said he would be seeking clarification at the talks today but did not wish to say more.
A spokesman for the Department said studies of the type requested were carried out every couple of years. The review would have been required regardless of the reforms being discussed with unions, because of changes such as the introduction of the Luas, expanding DART services and the growing suburban population.
