SIPTU says strike action at the country's three main airports will go ahead as planned, and it will meet to discuss further industrial action in the weeks ahead.

The union - representing workers at Aer Lingus and Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports - says that while it will 'fully co-operate' with an expert panel tasked with resolving the dispute over the companies pension scheme, it will not call off the 4 hour work stoppage at the start of the St. Patrick's weekend.

The DAA says it's astonished by SIPTU's decision to proceed with its planned industrial action at Dublin and Cork airports on Friday week despite a Government-backed initiative to resolve the current pension issues.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar is appealing for the union to reconsider.