Taoiseach clears way for social partnership talks

AFTER months of uncertainty, the way appeared clear for new social partnership negotiations last night after the Government proposed a schedule which puts the issue of worker exploitation to the fore.

Details of the proposed schedule - sent to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) yesterday in a letter from the Taoiseach’s right-hand man Dermot McCarthy - are designed to clearly and unambiguously address union demands that the protection of employment rights be addressed.

Talks on a deal to replace Sustaining Progress, due to begin last November, were scuppered by union anger at increasing abuses of migrant workers as exemplified by the Irish Ferries dispute.