The Government has failed to include plans by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, to reform Aer Rianta in its legislative programme. Similar plans to break up CIÉ are included in the programme, which was agreed at a special Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The list included three types of Bill - those already agreed by Government and which will be published before the summer recess; those agreed and whose texts are being drafted and those not yet approved by Government.
Even though Aer Rianta was not mentioned on any of these lists, Mr Brennan's spokesman said he would press ahead with plans to reorganise the State airports company. He is believed likely to go the Cabinet with his proposals within a month.
The spokesman said that any move to establish independent boards for the airports at Dublin, Shannon and Cork would not require "full legislation".
If the Cabinet decided to make such boards fully autonomous and dissolve Aer Rianta, the legislation required would be "very straightforward". This is known to be the option favoured by Mr Brennan, but no such plan is included in the list of future Bills, in respect of which heads (or broad outline) have not yet been approved by the Government.
In addition, the list does not refer to plans to sanction a new terminal at Dublin Airport, independent of Aer Rianta. Mr Brennan said any legislative change would depend on the site of such a terminal, if approved.
By contrast, the list of unapproved legislation includes a Transport (Companies) Bill, to establish the CIÉ operating companies - Bus Éireann, Bus Átha Cliath and Iarnrod Éireann - as separate autonomous entities. While Mr Brennan has indicated he wants to proceed immediately with the CIÉ plan, publication of this legislation is not expected until next year.
In addition, a separate Bill to provide for reform in public transport will not be published until next year either. This is despite Mr Brennan's pledge to open a quarter of the bus market in Dublin to competition before the end of year.
Mr Brennan's spokesman insisted there was no slippage in the plan, which has already led to ballots for industrial action in the two biggest trade unions at CIÉ, SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers Union .
He suggested that the legislative timetable could be amended at short notice, according to the Government's requirements.
The only Bill from Mr Brennan's Department that has been agreed by Government and is on the list of legislation to be published before the summer recess, deals with shareholder issues in Aer Lingus.
This Bill follows a Government decision, publicised before Easter, to formalise the expansion of the Employee Share Ownership Plan at the State airline, and provide for outside investment.
The programme indicates that a Bill to give the ESB plc status will be published before the end of the year.
A separate Bill "to restructure Bord Gáis Éireann" will also be published this year.
Sources said this too was likely to establish the State gas company as a plc.
Separately, the programme indicates that a Bill to extend the dormant accounts treatment of assets other than life assurance and bank accounts will be published next year.
