CIÉ workers have voted overwhelmingly to begin industrial action as the future of the company in its current state looks increasingly uncertain.
The SIPTU ballot result comes as an internal CIÉ document counted the cost of breaking up the company at more than €500 million.
The ballot saw 83.2 per cent in favour at Irish Rail, 90.6 per cent in favour at Dublin Bus, and 87.9 per cent of Bus Éireann workers in favour.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is in favour of breaking up the company and insists it is a necessary step if the economy was to maintain its competitiveness.
SIPTU National Industrial Secretary Mr Noel Dowling said the unions would now "serve a months' notice of industrial action on the CIÉ companies".
He said SIPTU is set to meet with all of the unions in CIÉ at the end of the month to decide what form the industrial action will take.
"The Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan has to acknowledge the vast amount of experience amongst the staff of CIÉ in providing public transport," Mr Dowling said.
"If he continues to ignore that expertise, the citizens of Ireland will end up with a vastly inferior transport system at a far greater cost to the Exchequer".
