The Transport Minister has warned that he cannot allow Aer Lingus and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to take a major financial hit in their pensions dispute.
Leo Varadkar says the government stake in the airports and Aer Lingus would be devalued, meaning a hit for the taxpayer, if they carry the burden of bringing a gap in their workers' pension fund.
An injunction granted in February prevented SIPTU members from walking off the job as part of the pensions row.
The High Court blocked the planned four-hour work stoppage because of the disruption it would cause, and due to concerns about the validity of the SIPTU ballot.
The proposed action was part of an on-going row about cuts to pension benefits at Aer Lingus and the DAA.
The Minister has told the Dáil that the companies and their workers are "pretty far apart" in trying to reach a deal.
He says the taxpayer can't be held to ransom by a smaller group of workers.
