Meath Fianna Fáil Senator Thomas Byrne has welcomed the long-awaited reprieve for workers at Tara Mines.

Mr Byrne said: "This dispute has been going on for far too long and has caused immense distress to the 670 workers at Tara Mines and their families, and to the local community in Navan.

"It comes as a welcome relief that the company has now agreed to lift the protective notice placed on workers in January and withdraw its plans for a 10% pay cut. This provides a reprieve for workers who have spent the past two months genuinely fearful for their jobs.

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"Tara Mines is one of the largest employers in Co Meath and the crisis at the company over the past few months has been damaging to the community, the local economy and the potential for further investment in the region. From the outset, I and the Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin pledged our full support to the workers and appealed for Government intervention as the crisis deepened. It is disappointing that neither Fine Gael nor Labour chose to show any leadership on the issue."

(CD)