Development in Lift Dispute

Mr Tom Kitt TD, Minister for Labour Affairs speaking from Hong Kong on the final leg of the Government trade mission to China announced at 3 p.m. today (Thursday, 17th September) that he had written to ICTU and IBEC seeking the agreement of the parties to the dispute to:

• The appointment by him to an agreed independent third party to investigate the outstanding issues identified in the process initiated by the Minister on last Thursday 10th September.
• The third party issuing his/her findings within one week for consideration by the parties.
• In the interim period the parties to agree to make arrangements to restore as much as possible of the lift service in the Ballymun complex to working condition.

Noting that this was a particularly difficult industrial relations dispute the Minister expressed the hope that his initiative would enable the parties to resolve their difficulties.