Social partners reach agreement on worker protections

Talks on a new national pay deal are set to get underway next week following a breakthrough in negotiations on new measures to protect employment standards.

The pay talks had been delayed for a number of months due to disagreement over ways to prevent so-called "job displacement" and the exploitation of migrant workers.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions had refused to discuss any other issue until agreement was reached on this matter.

Last night, ICTU, the Government and the employers' body IBEC finally agreed a series of proposals, including a trebling of the number of labour inspectors and the appointment of a new body to police employment legislation.

They have also agreed on new legislation to deter employers from sacking Irish workers so they can replace them with cheaper labour from abroad.

The proposals pave the way for all sides to begin discussing other issues, including pay, that will form the basis of a new social partnership deal to replace the Sustaining Progress agreement.