Unions at Bus Éireann are at odds over the future of the company's loss-making Expressway Service.
The National Bus & Railworkers' Union (NBRU), which represents most of the drivers, said it could accept some route closures - but SIPTU said it would not.
The Expressway service run by the company is losing money and there has been speculation that some of the service may be shut down.
There had been reports that the Minister for Transport Shane Ross wanted to axe some services.
However, Mr Ross said: "What has to be looked at is certain routes and whether they are commercial or not and what should be done about them. But I do not believe that I talk in terms of actually axing routes as was quoted in the newspapers today nor was there any question of privatisation."
Dermot O'Leary, General Secretary of the NBRU said the union may accept some route closures after negotiations.
"There is no doubt, as part of that debate, some of those routes will come up for discussion. Will Bus Éireann be operating those routes into the future? Trade unions, because we come in the spirit of compromise, may have to accept some bitter medicine on that one," said Mr O'Leary (below).
However, SIPTU representative at Bus Éireann Willie Noonan said his union does not accept that any of the Bus Éireann Expressway services could be withdrawn or scaled back.
He said that route closures would mean job losses and this would not be acceptable to his members.
Bus Éireann is expected to lose around €6m this year and much of that loss is down to money lost on Expressway services.
The company said it needs to save €6-7m next year and that will mean a "leaner structure" for Expressway services which do not receive state funding.
Bus Éireann operates Expressway on 23 routes, mainly busy intercity journeys, where there is a lot of competition from private operators.
While the NBRU represents the majority of Bus Éireann drivers, SIPTU represents 40% of drivers and 90% of other staff at the company.
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