Amid the difficulties facing CIE Group, the Minister for Public Enterprise Ms O'Rourke is considering the dissolution of E the group and divesting the State's ownership of either Dublin Bus or Bus Eireann.
Iarnrod Eireann would be divided in two - one company would maintain the rail infrastructure and the other would operate its services.
This proposal, which includes a plan to appoint an independent regulatory authority governing public transport, is the subject of discussions of a transport forum involving the social partners. Appointed under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, members are also assessing the possibility of a new authority awarding contracts by tender for services of quality and quantity.
The group will be aware, too, of workers' sensitivities at CIE. Ms O'Rourke's paper, published in April, acknowledged the proposed changes would present a "substantial" industrial relations challenge.
Even in the absence of discussions on fundamental questions such as ownership, the record this year is grim. Iarnrod Eireann services were disrupted for 10 weeks in the summer because of a dispute by train drivers affiliated to the Irish Locomotive Drivers Association.
In turn, the action partially disrupted bus services in Dublin on two days in August. Separate grievances over scheduling caused partial disruption of the service on two days in June and July.
Earlier this year, the bus service halted for 10 days during staggered action by drivers affiliated to SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers' Union, who were pursuing a 20 per cent pay claim. Ms O'Rourke's alleged "intervention" - which she denied - was also cited by Mr Brian Joyce in his letter of resignation as chairman.
The action planned by DART drivers on November 20th is linked to a "new deal" paid to Inter-City drivers this year. They are unhappy with CIE's proposals for a parallel arrangement, though each has been paid £8,000 (#10,157) to ease the introduction of DART services to Malahide, north Dublin and Greystones, Co Wicklow. These services, for which rolling stock has been purchased, have been partially introduced.
