Talks aimed at resolving the Ryanair pilots dispute will take place later today.
The discussions will aim to avert strike action by 170 Irish-based, directly-employed pilots amid their ongoing row over pay and conditions.
Pilots' union Fórsa says only a serious proposal from Ryanair management would prevent its member from taking to the picket line next week.
The union - which is the parent union of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) - yesterday said it had accepted an invitation from mediator Kieran Mulvey to attend talks today.
According to Fórsa, IALPA submitted a 30-page proposal to Ryanair's management in March which included detailed proposals on pay, pensions and working conditions.
They said a "substantive and meaningful counter-proposal" would be needed from the airline during today's talks to avoid a strike next week.
Aviation journalist Gerry Byrne suggested it's hard to see an agreement reached at today's talks given the number of issues put forward by pilots.
He explained: "There is an awful lot of work to be done, if what one hears from the pilot community, for example, is to be believed.
"[Ryanair] has recognised unions, but the pilots would say only barely. A lot of the details - the nitty gritty, the day-to-day procedural stuff - hasn't been agreed with the airline.
"An awful lot of work needs to be done in this area... I don't think this is going to be resolved in a few weeks."
94% of directly-employed Ryanair pilots with IALPA voted for industrial action in a recent ballot.
Their UK-based colleagues have already announced a total of five strike days at the end of this month and the start of September.
Last week, Ryanair said it was "disappointed" with the Irish vote.
They claimed the union had failed to provide the airline or mediator Kieran Mulvey with 'specific pay proposals'.
