Mr. P. J. Fitzpatrick:

The number is definitely higher than ten. I do not know the exact number offhand, although it is not as high as we originally expected. When we met the LRC and the Labour Court, there were concerns that they would be overrun with cases and would not have the resources to cope with them. That has not been the case, however. As we saw with the laboratories, there were cases in which individuals faced a serious loss of income.

It was the same for radiographers where people were losing between €10,000 and €15,000 a year. There was one recently with restructured ambulance services. What tends to happen is that there is one issue which has ten elements. Very often seven are agreed to in face to face negotiations and one gets stuck on two or three, which end up going to the LRC. In other words, everything is not referred. We have encouraged them from day one to try to give as much as possible in face to face negotiations. There is a risk for both sides because whatever comes out of it, they have to live with it. Sometimes it may suitable people to live with it-----