The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, appears to have adopted a conciliatory approach to his plan to privatise national and Dublin bus routes by offering to be flexible over the pace of change.
In a two-page letter from Department secretary, Ms Julie O'Neill, the Minister offered to open a new round of talks between his Department and unions, chaired by an independent third party and makes three proposals.
Mr Liam Tobin, general secretary of the NBRU responded to the letter by saying it appeared to be a big step forward.
The letter points out the Department objective of an efficient, integrated public transport system which enhances competitiveness at reasonable cost.
In a bid to avert industrial actions over the Minister's plans to break up CIÉ and privatise 25 per cent of bus routes, the letter appears to enshrine the jobs of CIÉ staff.
It says Mr Brennan is still firmly of the view franchising is the most effective means of achieving genuine market openings to new entrants but stresses "without undermining terms and condition of employment for existing employees".
And it goes on to state that Mr Brennan is open to "reasonable proposals relating the pace of introduction of competition".
Union sources suggested that Mr Brennan's new approach may be to return to an earlier privatisation plan which would see a proportion of new services franchised out with Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann retaining their core routes.
The strike committees of the three CIÉ companies are due to meet tomorrow to decide whether they will ballot for industrial action.
SIPTU has not responded to the letter yet.
