Updated 11:30
Over 150,000 passengers look likely to be hit by the first of five nationwide rail strikes tomorrow.
Staff at Iarnród Éireann are walking off the job as their row over pay rises continues.
Representatives on both sides of the dispute have warned that the strikes now seems "inevitable" - with all Intercity, commuter and Dart rail services brought to a halt.
Workers are calling for a “no strings attached” 3.75% pay-rise to match Luas and Dublin Bus drivers.
Management at the company are only willing to offer a 1.75% increase, linked new productivity measures.
Iarnród Éireann spokesperson Barry Kenny has warned that the strikes will cost the company €900,000 per day.
"Unfortunately, it does look as if tomorrow certainly will go ahead," he said.
"So for the 1st of November, we don't expect any trains to operate across Dart, Commuter or Intercity.
"That is affecting about 155,000 people and we apologise to them that we won't be in a position to provide a service."
Unions at the company voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of industrial action after talks at the Workplace Relations Commission broke down.
Up to 155,000 passengers are expected to be affected – and customers have been warned their train tickets will not be honoured by Dublin Bus or Bus Éireann.
Unions have scheduled four other national strike days across November and December – including during the November 14th World Cup qualifying play-off between the Republic of Ireland and Denmark.
Services will be stopped on:
- Tuesday, November 7th
- Tuesday, November 14th
- Thursday, November 23rd
- Friday, December 8th
Unions have refused to rule out further strike action if their demands are not met.
Management has warned that the proposed industrial action will cost the company accumulated losses of €160m.
