Social partners get back into talks

THE first formal engagement between the Government and social partners on a new economic recovery plan took place at Government Buildings yesterday.

A day after the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) called off Monday’s planned 24-hour national strike, union leaders met with the Department of the Taoiseach to discuss the framework of how the new recovery plan will be agreed. The Government will today meet employer representatives, with the full talks of all the social partners expected to begin within the next 48-72 hours.

Unions, employers and Government have not formally met at Government Buildings since the start of February when talks on a new economic recovery pact collapsed. ICTU wants the new dialogue to be based around its 10-point plan for social solidarity, which is very similar to its previous proposals which formed the basis of last month’s aborted process.