Trade union officials are meeting this afternoon in a last-ditch bid to avert a 24-hour bus and rail strike which threatens to disrupt public transport across the State tomorrow.
SIPTU called off a six-hour stoppage at Aer Rianta airports yesterday after the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern intervened. But the planned public transport action timed to take place simultaneously remains in place.
Mr Ahern's assurance that trade unions would have an input into the plans to break up Aer Rianta into three companies led to the suspension of stoppages planned for Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports.
But the union's strike committee at CIE failed to reach a decision on the planned 24-hour bus and train stoppage despite meeting for seven hours yesterday.
The talks were adjourned at 11 p.m. last night, and further discussions began at 2 p.m this afternoon.
The strike was originally prompted by union anger at the slow pace of talks on the future of CIE and the privatisation of some bus routes.
Both the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport Mr Brennan have called on CIE union leaders to reconsider their decision to go ahead with strike action at Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann while talks were continuing.