Mr. Declan Carlyle:

We have five recognised trade unions and collective agreements with each one, worker directors and well-established industrial relations machinery. In addition to that, and as a result of the recent request to the board, CIÉ indicated it is quite prepared to agree mutually with the trade union group on a body or a person to adjudicate on these past matters to establish the position. This has been laid out in the company's replies to parliamentary questions. This will enable us to move forward in the WRC and engage on negotiating, which we have been doing for the past two and a half years with the trade union group, a solution could then be presented to the trustees. Neither CIÉ nor the trade union group can present an outcome to the Pensions Authority. It must be the trustees.

To that end, we have said that we would have no difficulty, if we could not agree locally on a person with the necessary experience to adjudicate on these matters, with the WRC's director general appointing somebody. We already have indicated to the trade union group that we would be willing to participate in that process.