The High Court is to rule tomorrow afternoon on a legal bid to stop industrial action at the country's main airports ahead of St Patrick's Day

Ryanair has accused the union Siptu of reverting to Victorian times and using the 'nuclear option' of a strike at Cork, Shannon and Dublin airports.

The airline claims strike action at the country's main airports this Friday morning will directly affect 93 of its flights on the weekend of the Ireland France rugby match.

The Dublin Airport Authority says Siptu's planned 4 hour work stoppage breaches trade agreements and has been timed to cause maximum disruption ahead of the busy St Patrick's Day weekend.

The proposed industrial action is part of an ongoing row about cuts to pension benefits at Aer Lingus and the DAA.

The court is to rule tomorrow on whether the action should be stopped.

Siptu's lawyers say they will be bound by Mr Justice Paul Gilligan's decision.