The Transport Minister says he can’t intervene in the Irish Rail dispute.
SIPTU and the NBRU are holding a number of one day stoppages over plans by the company to bring in pay cuts in 10 days time.
Irish Rail were due to bring in these pay cuts in January but it was deferred while unions and the company tried to come up with a solution.
But the talks process was exhausted and they’re coming into force on August 24th.
Both SIPTU and the NBRU are holding one day stoppages – with no trains running on September 7th and 21st – the days of the All Ireland Finals.
Irish Rail’s Barry Kenny says they have no choice but to bring in the cuts.
"We have to make the savings because the company is in a crisis situation finanacially. Our trade unions have seen our books and accept that. The Labour Court has said the measures that we propose are unavoidable if the company and the employment we maintain is to be protected. So these measures have to take place if we're going to protect that employment."
There’ve been calls for the Transport Minister to intervene in the row.
But Pascal Donohue says he can’t step in.
"Four separate votes have taken place in relation to different measures and they're the bodies that will be taking the lead in responding to this, to ensure that a huge difficulty for the company, I hope, will be averted."
The Minister also rejected opposition claims that he’s anti-union after he urged all sides not to go on strike.
