Irish Ferries management to enter talks tomorrow

Management at Irish Ferries tonight confirmed they were willing to enter into talks with union leaders in a bid to secure a breakthrough in a bitter dispute over the outsourcing of staff.

High level negotiations involving both sides are due to be held at the Labour Relations Commission tomorrow following an intervention by Government-backed industrial relation trouble-shooters.

The National Implementation Body has brokered a deal to get unions and company bosses to enter talks. A timetable of three days’ intensive negotiations has been scheduled.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said: “They have brokered some sort of agreement whereby talks will commence at the Labour Relations Commission with a target date of completion for Wednesday.

“Irish Ferries have agreed that they will attend.”

The long-running dispute began after the ferry company outlined plans to replace 543 Irish workers with cheaper labour from Eastern Europe.

The row has also left hauliers facing delays of several days at a time as Irish Ferries vessels have been tied up in docks in Wales and Dublin.

It is understood the National Implementation Body has compiled a report in a bid to help both sides begin talks to end the dispute.