The Minister for Public Enterprise is to meet CIE unions and management today to discuss "a new way forward for dealing with the industrial relations environment in Iarnrod Eireann".
Ms O'Rourke announced this in the Dail last night and it follows informal contacts by senior officials in her Department with the ICTU general secretary, Mr Peter Cassells, SIPTU president Mr Des Geraghty and CIE chairman Mr John Lynch.
Yesterday's action by 138 signallers stopped all mainline services, the DART between Bray and Greystones, and disrupted Irish Rail's road freight and Bus Eireann's Galway city services. The human resources manager of Iarnrod Eireann, Mr John Keenan, warned of "a convergence of conflict emerging" with the prospect of a DART strike next Monday and renewed action by signallers next Wednesday and Thursday. Both groups are seeking better terms than those proposed in a shift to annualised hours.
In a separate development, the Supreme Court is to begin hearing the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association appeal for union recognition. Yesterday ILDA executive secretary Mr Brendan Ogle said "the case can in no way damage our current position. It can only improve it, or leave it as it is."
Some 50 ILDA drivers are still facing the threat of suspension for refusing to work rest days since returning to work in August. The ILDA has referred 15 cases to the Labour Court.
SIPTU rail secretary Mr Tony Tobin said he regretted that pickets at Galway's joint Iarnrod Eireann/Bus Eireann depot had disrupted services. However, he defended picketing at other locations, including Heuston Station in Dublin, where road freight staff refused to pass the strikers. "This was an official strike and members were entitled to picket at the point of entry normally used to go to work."
He also criticised claims by Mr Keenan that the signallers' pay claim for rates of £25,000 to £27,800 a year was unrealistic.
He said some members could be earning up to £19,000 a year less under the new system.
Last night Ms O'Rourke, speaking in the Dail, warned that failure to end the disputes in Iarnrod Eireann could affect plans to invest over £1 billion in rail infrastructure.
The ICTU is expected to decide to re-enter talks with the Government and employers when its executive meets today.