SIPTU has called off its planned strike on Thursday that would have shut down the State's airports for six hours.
However, the union's aviation branch at Dublin airport, which met with SIPTU general president Mr Jack O'Connor this afternoon, has sought clarification from the Taoiseach of points raised in a letter he sent to SIPTU late last night.
SIPTU's CIÉ strike committee is meeting this afternoon to discuss the contents of the crucial letter sent by the Taoiseach to the union's general president, which resulted in the cancellation of the airport strike. While no decision has yet emerged from that meeting, there remains a faint hope that the rail and bus strike can still be averted.
It emerged in the High Court this morning - where Ryanair was challenging the airport stoppage - that SIPTU had decided not to go ahead with the action after assurances given by the Taoiseach in the letter.
The union also said it was postponing similar action planned for April 2nd, 20th, 26th. The strike would have shut down Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, the day after St Patrick's Day festivities and the day of a European presidency meeting in Dublin.
However, Ryanair has not ruled pursuing its action in what it called a "nakedly political" dispute. The case has been adjourned until next Tuesday. Mr Justice Kelly adjourned the case for a week to allow both parties consult their clients.
SIPTU general president Mr Jack O'Connor said the letter sent last night in the name of Mr Ahern and the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, had reassured him the Government intended to honour commitments it had made.
"The commitments to the effect, specifically in relation to Aer Rianta, that key financial information relevant to the proposed break-up of the company would be provided by the Government together with other relevant details in sufficient time to enable the unions to have them assessed and evaluated and to set out their stall on them before legislation was finalised," he said.
Mr O'Connor said the specific problem that gave rise to Thursday's proposed action was a suggestion arising from a statement by Mr Brennan that legislation on the break-up of Aer Rianta would be introduced before April 1st.
"It would appear from the letter we received from the Taoiseach, which was also on behalf of the Minister for Transport last evening, that in the light of the commitment they made - which it seemed they want to make it clear they had intended to honour all along - and other relevant aspects of this matter, that the time-frame would extend beyond Easter," he said.
"And that affords us the opportunity of agreeing a definitive time-frame within which the commitment which they entered into last January can be honoured."
In an additional statement, Mr O'Connor said: "We are satisfied that these assurances from the Taoiseach, and the Minister for Transport Mr Seamus Brennan, meet our concerns that key financial and other relevant information regarding the proposed break up of Aer Rianta will be made available to the union and enable us to have an adequate opportunity to examine the proposal and respond to it with our own proposals, before legislation is introduced to the Dail.
"Therefore the action specifically sanctioned by SIPTU to obtain assurances is no longer necessary. This means that the company will be able to provide the information which we believe workers are entitled to have in order to assess their options and it also offers the prospect of an agreement to ensure their job security and quality of employment going forward.
"There is also a point of substance in the Taoiseach's letter regarding the future of CIE and in particular workers in Dublin Bus. The officers of SIPTU hope to meet with the strike committee later today to discuss the matter further."
In a statement, Ryanair welcomed the fact that the travel plans of 50,000 passengers had been saved by SIPTU's decision not to proceed with the action on Thursday.
Ryanair's head of communications, Mr Paul Fitzsimmons said: "It is bizarre that Ryanair, a customer of the airport, has taken this court action to prevent the closure of the airport while the airport owner/operators Aer Rianta have done nothing and have no contingency plans in place to deal with these threatened closures.
"The involvement of the Taoiseach clearly proves the political nature of this dispute. With this rollercoaster of stoppages and threatened stoppages the Taoiseach should immediately proceed with independent competing terminals at Dublin airport, to avoid the country being held to ransom again."