As the first train for almost eight weeks arrived in Westport, Co Mayo, Iarnrod Eireann said it could not see outside mediation as a viable option at this stage of the rail dispute.
However, the company's human resources manager, Mr John Keenan, said a positive initiative from whatever quarter at this "sensitive time" would be considered because "we are in the business of resolving this rather than winning the dispute".
Mr Tom Darby, a founder member and former leader of the NBRU, had offered to mediate between Iarnrod Eireann and the ILDA train drivers' group in the dispute, which has resulted in widespread train disruption and cost the company more than £6 million to date.
Mr Keenan spoke to Mr Darby yesterday, but there was "no basis" for his assistance. The former NBRU leader said he was contacted earlier yesterday by Iarnrod Eireann who gave him to understand that he was one of several people who had offered to mediate in the dispute.
Mr Darby, who has a formidable reputation as a negotiator within CIE, reiterated his willingness to act as a conduit between the parties. The fact that the situation on the railways had apparently eased with the return of one SIPTU driver from holidays and a defecting ILDA driver did not mean that the crisis was over. "I think it'll get worse before it gets better," he said.
Mr Finbarr Masterson, of the ILDA, accused Iarnrod Eireann of running a PR campaign which the ILDA, without resources, could not combat. He said he reported for work every day but was not allowed to work. ILDA members were willing to return to work on their old rosters, which, he said, guaranteed them no more than a 39-hour week.
He acknowledged yesterday's protests were "not giving us a good image. That is the reality, but we have gone everywhere and knocked on every door and no one is listening."
Mr Myles McHugh, Iarnrod Eireann's business development manager for the western region, said that the ILDA executive "has lost the run of itself". For the last seven weeks passengers had been bussed from Athlone to Mayo. Three drivers were normally needed to run the schedule of trains to Westport and Ballina.
"We had one driver, a SIPTU man, who wasn't at work for his own reasons. He has returned to work. We had an ILDA man in Ballina who returned to work last week and we have a driver on annual leave who returned to work today," said Mr McHugh.
The first train to reach Mayo in seven weeks left Heuston yesterday at 12.55 p.m. and arrived in Westport at 5 p.m. A return train left for Dublin at 5.40 p.m. and another Dublin to Westport train was scheduled to depart at 6 p.m. Two members of ILDA protested outside the Westport station when the train arrived.
The ILDA executive secretary, Mr Brendan Ogle, refused to condemn yesterday's actions by ILDA members. "Enough people are condemning our members," he said. He was not asking members to engage in these actions, he was not condoning the actions but neither was he condemning actions which basically arose out of a sense of frustration.
"I will not be surprised if these actions escalate. These actions have not been approved. That is not to say ILDA are disapproving," Mr Ogle emphasised.
He also hit out strongly at SIPTU, saying the union had a major role to play in the dispute and in keeping the dispute going behind the scenes.
"SIPTU are a major obstacle. They are the obstacle," Mr Ogle said.