By Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment
                             Correspondent

                             DART services are to begin operating to Greystones by the
                             end of this month and to be extended to Malahide by June,
                             according to senior Iarnród Éireann sources. The first test runs
                             on the Greystones extension take place today, when the line
                             from Bray is "energised" to take the DART.

                             The service is likely to begin on March 29th or 30th. It will be
                             at a reduced rate initially. As new drivers become available, the
                             number of trains will increase. The first nine drivers complete
                             their training by mid-April.

                             The Malahide service is expected to begin in June. DART
                             trains will alternate between Howth and Malahide. Company
                             sources said this may lead to a reduction in the frequency of
                             services on the Howth branch line during peak times, but more
                             trains would be run and the overall impact would be minimal.

                             Meanwhile, a new threat to Inter-city services has emerged.
                             Management and unions are to hold urgent talks next week to
                             avert a major row over the implementation of a new pay deal
                             for mainline train drivers.

                             The deal provides for the introduction of a five-day week, a
                             basic salary of £29,500 and improved pension scheme. The
                             unions had expected the package to be introduced on June 1st,
                             but the company informed them late last week that it would not
                             be implemented until September 25th.

                             It gave as its reasons problems recruiting and training drivers,
                             the introduction of the summer rosters and annual leave
                             requirements of the drivers themselves.

                             Iarnród Éireann management and representatives of SIPTU
                             and the National Bus and Railworkers' Union met at the
                             Labour Relations Commission yesterday and agreed to talks
                             next Tuesday to review the situation. SIPTU branch secretary
                             Mr Tony Tobin said the company proposal to defer the new
                             terms was not acceptable, but he was confident the problem
                             could be resolved.

                             The company's human re sources manager, Mr John Keenan,
                             said his aim next week would be to bring forward
                             implementation of the agreement as early as possible. He
                             rejected a claim by the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association
                             that the delays were because of the safety audit on the railway
                             system.

                             Earlier yesterday, the executive secretary of the ILDA, Mr
                             Brendan Ogle, od Eireann had not changed since SIPTU and
                             the NBRU had agreed the new deal last month. He also
                             warned that his members would not accept any changes in the
                             rosters until their concerns over rail safety and other issues
                             were met.