Ryanair to pursue action against union

Ryanair is to proceed with a High Court action against SIPTU arising from plans, since deferred, by the trade union to take industrial action at Dublin Airport.

The proposed industrial action was postponed following an intervention last week by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.

A statement of claim in the main action is to be delivered today after which SIPTU will deliver its defence, Mr Justice Kelly heard yesterday. The nature of the proceedings against the trade union is not yet known but may relate to SIPTU's entitlement to take industrial action at Dublin Airport.

In court yesterday Mr Roderick Horan, for Ryanair, said the airline wished to have adjourned its application for an interlocutory injunction against SIPTU which would have sought to restrain the union from taking the proposed industrial action.

The interlocutory order was no longer required given SIPTU's assurance to the court last week that there would be no industrial action, counsel said. No such action had occurred, and there was no disruption to Ryanair's service at Dublin Airport. It seemed there was no immediate threat in the near future.

In those circumstances, he was seeking that the interlocutory application be adjourned generally with liberty to re-enter at 48 hours' notice.

A statement of claim in the main action would be delivered today, counsel said. He was also preparing an application for "modest" discovery of documents for the main action.

Mr William Hamilton, for SIPTU, said his side had not brough a motion to have Ryanair's proceedings struck out as demonstrating no cause of action because SIPTU was waiting to see if Ryanair would proceed with the substantive action. A defence to that action would be delivered in 10 days.

Mr Justice Kelly said he would adjourn the interlocutory motion generally with liberty to re-enter. He added that Mr Horan could deliver a letter seeking discovery in the normal fashion.