Time set for resumption of social partnership talks

Talks on a new social partnership agreement will resume at Government Buildings at 2pm on Sunday after adjourning without agreement last night.

It is understood that employers, unions and Government officials were unable to bridge the gap on a number of contentious issues including pay, pensions and anti-exploitation measures.

“These things ebb and flow,” said Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary David Begg.“ I quite genuinely don’t know if agreement can be reached.”

“The whole question of pensions is a demographic timebomb. We have to try to find some way of dealing with problems of that nature.”

Mr Begg said he found it difficult to read into the minds of the employers’ organisations.

Bill Roche, professor of industrial relations and human resources at UCD, believes that the differences between employers and unions are significant but surmountable.

He said: “The gap seems to be a serious one but I think talks about the imminent collapse of national pay agreements are probably invalid.

“It has almost become part of the standard choreography of pay talks that major crises arise, particularly before closure on the deals.”

He told RTÉ Radio: “The gap is definitely serious but may not be unbridgeable.

“In the past when difficulties like these have arisen, the parties have gone away and reflected on their positions. In the interim, the secretary of the Taoiseach’s department has engaged in shuttle diplomacy between them to try to find the basis of a settlement.

“To say the whole process in on the verge of collapse is really quite premature.”

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern expressed pessimism in the Dáil yesterday that a deal could be reached.

“I have been advised that there is a considerable difference between the sides on the parameters of a pay agreement, as well as on some significant non-pay items,” he said. “It is far from clear that an agreement can be reached.”

“I do not see two sides engaged to find a resolution right now.”