The National Bus and Rail Workers Union has suspended a ballot for industrial action at Irish Rail ahead of talks at the Workplace Relations Commission.

Iarnroid Eireann has confirmed it will also attend the WRC talks tomorrow.

The union and the company are currently locked in a dispute over the introduction of a 10 minute DART timetable.

General Secretary Dermot O’Leary said: “The NBRU welcomes the fact that Irish Rail have agreed to attend at the WRC on Friday.

“We have always held the view that our jointly agreed negotiating procedures allow for either or both parties to refer contentious issues to the industrial relations third party state institutions for conciliation.

“We, for our part, have demonstrated our commitment to effecting service improvement by including the potential provision of the 10-minute Dart Service in our referral to the WRC.

“It would be prudent of Irish Rail to reciprocate by embracing an all-encompassing agenda, inclusive of discussions on reversing pay cuts and a long overdue pay rise for all rail workers.”

Mr O’Leary went on to say that the move sends a clear message to Irish Rail and the new Minister that the union prefers to “engage, discuss and negotiate”.

He said: “Whilst engaging in industrial action is a fundamental right, it is very much a last resort.”