Irish Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan and Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary have received an independent report into matters in dispute (excluding pay) between the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union and Employers in the electrical contracting industry.

The report was commissioned by the Department under Section 38 (2) of the Industrial Relations Act 1990.

Minister Calleary said: "I would like to thank Peter Cassells and Finbarr Flood for completing this thorough enquiry and for indicating in their report where the best options now lie for restoring the orderly conduct of industrial relations to the electrical contracting sector. Their report sets out the background to the dispute which resulted in a nationwide strike in July of this year and which has also seen legal proceedings launched before the High Court in a challenge to the validity of the registered employment agreement for the electrical contracting sector."

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The Minister also expressed his appreciation to all the parties involved in the dispute for having cooperated with the Enquiry and for assisting in the completion of its investigation.

The report will focus attention on the areas that can be usefully addressed to improve relationships between all the parties in the electrical contracting sector. It affords all stakeholders a timely opportunity for reflection on the best means of achieving a comprehensive integrated solution to all the issues raised in the context of this long-running dispute.

The main thrust of the recommendations in the report is directed to the stakeholders in the electrical contracting sector. There are also a number of areas in which the report has highlighted how the State's industrial relations agencies together with the public bodies responsible for the public procurement policy, can assist those involved in establishing better and more inclusive negotiating arrangements.

(NS/BMcC)