Varadkar urges 'balanced and sustainable solution'

The Transport Minister is welcoming calls by unions at Aer Lingus this evening for the resumption of talks in a dispute over pensions.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Employers body IBEC issued a joint statement calling for a resumption of talks and a suspension of threatened strike action.

Meanwhile, SIPTU has called an emergency meeting of its Aer Lingus pension committee for tomorrow morning, to discuss an IBEC/ICTU plan aimed at resolving the dispute.

Aer Lingus has said that it is willing to re-enter talks and is welcoming the recommendation that the Union groups withdraw the notice of industrial action against the airline on November 19th - but said that there is no certainty that agreement will be reached.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has this evening urged the parties to reach a "balanced and sustainable solution".