An end in sight- Bus Eireann strike set to conclude today as breakthrough nears

The Bus Eireann strike is set to be called off today, bringing to a temporary end a time of major inconvenience and problems for both staff at the company and beleaguered commuters who have struggled to make their way to work, college and across the country.

The Irish Independent report that sources from the Labour Court have confirmed the move to them, and they will issue a recommendation to resolve the issue by lunchtime today. The recommendation will inform unions to ballot their members on a proposal that could resolve the dispute to end the industrial action by this lunchtime.

Buses will not return to the roads until Friday however, with operational issues and a need to recharge batteries of vehicles after being out of action.

It has been almost three weeks since the strike action began over the decision to impose €12 million worth of cuts to the Bus Eireann payroll, and it reached boiling point when workers disrupted Dublin Bus and rail services on March 31.

Pickets will remain in place today until an announcement is made.

The Independent report that the agreement that has been reached will see 240 voluntary redundancies made, but there is still a disagreement over new pay rates.The company is currently said to be losing around €400,000 a day as it enters day 20 of strike action, and both workers and commuters are hopeful that they will be back on the road for the long Easter weekend.