Irish Ferries' sailings are expected to return to normal tomorrow after Siptu agreed to call off its strike and join company management in a new round of talks at the Labour Relations Commission.
The talks are based on proposals made by the National Implementation Body (NIB) which said the strike action and lay-offs in the two-week old dispute must cease immediately to allow talks take place.
Management wrote to the Department of the Taoiseach this morning, under whose auspices the NIB operates, indicating its willingness to follow the recommendation.
The NIB - which is made up of IBEC, the Construction Industry Federation and ICTU - and is tasked with overseeing the industrial relations elements of social partnership, recommends "all industrial action whether by 'strike' or 'lock-out' shall cease with immediate effect".
It said "all options to achieve the viable operation" of Irish Ferries' Ireland to France route, which is at the centre of the dispute, should be "explored without pre-condition".
It says that if LRC talks are unsuccessful, then the matter should be referred to the Labour Court.
The company wants to lay-off seafarers and replace them with sub-contracted workers on its MV Normandywhich sails to France. It says the measure is needed to maintain the route's viability in the face of competition from low-cost airlines and a subsidy paid by the French government to its seagoing competition, Brittany Ferries.
Siptu, which represents ships' officers, says the move is not part of a restructuring deal agreed last summer and insists the company will attempt to introduce the measure on its routes to Britain.
It says such a move will effectively kill off Ireland's seafaring tradition on passenger ferries and two weeks ago called the all-out strike.