Rail workers in dispute face the possibility of being sued in a class action by the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland. The CCI has sought the names of Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association members from the Government under the Freedom of Information Act.
Mr Simon Nugent, CCI chief executive, said it would sue individual workers involved in the dispute, as well as the ILDA, if the legal action went ahead.
The CCI urged business people affected by industrial action to contact them with details of their losses. The businesses worst affected include tourism providers, taxi firms, rail tour operators and businesses in train stations. Mr Nugent said the areas worst hit were Cork, Wexford, Westport, Ball ina, Killarney, Tralee and Limerick.
According to the Chambers of Commerce, the weekly cost of the dispute to the economy is about £3 million.
"We are most reluctant to go down this road, but we see very little option now," a CCI spokesman said. "If the legal action succeeds, the costs will be very significant. We urge the drivers to talk to their families about this possibility," he said.
However, the ILDA dismissed the threat of legal action. Mr Brendan Ogle, its general secretary, said it was of no concern to the 120 train drivers involved in the dispute. "We are not in the slightest bit concerned. It's not a worrying development," Mr Ogle said. "The Chambers of Commerce have not asked us for drivers' names, but we would be more than happy to supply them if they did."
