Bus strike called off the day before it was due to begin

What would have been the second bus strike to occur this month has been called off after talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC).

A strike took place over the May bank holiday weekend and a further two days of industrial action was scheduled to take place tomorrow and Saturday, as well as on 29, 30 and 31 May.

However Bus Éireann this morning issued a statement welcoming the settlement proposals drafted by the LRC following 'intense talks' to avert industrial action.

'We are very pleased that customers will not now be inconvenienced on May 15 and 16 – or from May 29-31 – and that our full schedule of services will operate as normal,' the company stated.

'We would like to thank all parties involved in the talks process, especially the Labour Relations Commission, and we look forward to progressing the outstanding issues as agreed in the coming weeks.'

The dispute has centred on Government plans to put 10 per cent of bus routes out to tender. Bus workers' unions SIPTU and National Bus and Rail Union are opposed to the privatisation plans.