The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, welcomed the offer of the Labour Court and Labour Relations Commission yesterday to examine all the issues involved in the eight-week-old train drivers' dispute. Ms O'Rourke had held talks earlier with senior management of both CIE and Iarnrod Eireann. Those present at the talks included CIE chairman Mr John Lynch and Mr Joe Meagher, managing director of Iarnrod Eireann, as well as senior officials from the Department.
A spokesman said it was at all times understood that these talks were purely for the purpose of briefing Ms O'Rourke, as the Minister was precluded by law from intervening in the dispute.
Last night Fine Gael welcomed the Labour Court and LRC's decision to examine the issues. The party's public enterprise spokesman, Mr Jim Higgins TD, said the fact that the two bodies were to co-operate on the issue "has to be regarded" as significant. "Hopefully, the announcement represents a belated first step towards finding a permanent resolution to the problems which have given rise to this dispute," he said.
The Labour Party's spokesman on public enterprise, Mr Emmet Stagg, TD, also welcomed the Labour Court-LRC decision to undertake a joint investigation. "The travelling public, business and tourist interests have suffered greatly as a result of this dispute," he said. "Hopefully, this initiative will bring some clarity to the situation and ultimately assist in resolving this dispute to the satisfaction of all concerned."
The ILDA had now achieved one of its aims, he added - an opportunity to present its case to the Labour Court and the LRC. "ILDA should respond positively to this initiative and return to work under the new conditions of employment while the investigation is being completed."
Iarnrod Eireann called on "all drivers to take the opportunity presented by this initiative to return to work to enable the restoration of services in the interest our customers". The company promised to "co-operate fully" with the joint investigation.