Bus services in Dublin are set to come to a standstill from midnight tonight.

The strike over the implementation of a major cost cutting plan in Dublin Bus is continuing despite the company's pleas to employees to think again.

Dublin Bus is urging Trade Unions and employees not to engage in any industrial action which, it says will cause unnecessary inconvenience to customers and further financial losses for the company.

If you're planning on heading out in Dublin tonight, be warned that the strike will affect Nitelink buses - which will now NOT be running tonight.

Around three thousand passengers take the nightlink at the weekend.

The Transport Minister says that "Public Transport should be run in the interests of the passengers who use it and the taxpayers who pay for it, and not in the interests of management or unions.

Leo Varadkar says "Payroll savings are needed to protect existing service levels. There have already been substantial fare increases. Negotiations have been on-going for over a year and recommendations have been made by the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court. There is no more room for delay. Both sides should do everything to agree the necessary savings in order to avoid disruption on Sunday."

But union leaders insist the strike is going ahead from midnight tonight.

Meanwhile the President of the Irish Taxi Drivers Federation has reacted to news of the strike saying that while he has sympathy for the bus drivers - there are plenty of taxis there to pick up the slack.

Dublin bus are directing passengers to their website for more details on www.dublinbus.ie