Mr. P. J. Fitzpatrick:

That is a good point. The agreement provides for a consultation period of six weeks to avoid procrastination and it is up to both sides to ensure adherence. If the period lapses, it is because nobody is pushing the issue. Other time bound procedures then come into play, including a four week period for the Labour Court and the Labour Relations Commission. If it is under the Croke Park agreement those timelines are applicable and the decision is binding on both sides. If a dispute goes before the Labour Court outside of the agreement, the time limits do not apply.