The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has expressed "disappointment" at the failure of efforts to resolve the dispute between Enterprise Oil and SIPTU over crewing on offshore oil rigs. However, he has said that these efforts will continue.
Officials from the Minister's Department, and the Department of Enterprise and Employment, will be in contact this week with a view to setting up separate discussions involving both parties, the Minister has said.
The dispute arose after Enterprise Oil's refusal to employ SIPTU workers on its exploration rig located off the Mayo coast. It also said it would have no option but to pull out of a servicing arrangement in Foynes which is said to be worth £2 million.
SIPTU says that the company is breaking a 29-year-old labour agreement between the unions and exploration companies in Ireland.
Last week, Enterprise Oil turned down an invitation from the Minister to attend the Labour Relations Commission.
It said that its rig off Mayo was already fully crewed by EU nationals to whom it had contractual obligations. SIPTU has called for the company's licence to be cancelled. However, the Minister has said that he cannot impose employment conditions under European law on the free movement of labour.
