The new Transport Minister has said he won’t be getting involved in the ongoing Luas dispute.

Speaking on Marian Finucane on RTE Radio 1, Shane Ross said his department is monitoring the dispute between drivers and operator Transdev but is "not going to do anything about [it]".

"The Luas strike is not something which a minister … can or should get involved in.

"Bertie Ahern would. Bertie Ahern was an absolute master in coming in – very late in the day by the way, it’s was pretty opportunist stuff – and sitting in on a settlement that was really close to resolution," Ross said.

He described the situation as "a private sector company in a dispute with its staff" but that he was not going to "take out the state’s chequebook" to end the dispute.

"Disputes are always resolved, this one will be resolved – without the intervention of the state and without the state’s chequebook."

Mr Ross said that Transdev is a private sector company and its dispute with staff is nothing to do with him.