Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 182: To ask the Taoiseach his views on the absence of an organisation (details supplied) from partnership talks; his plans to ensure that the group return to the talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6755/06]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The process of negotiations on a successor agreement to Sustaining Progress was formally launched with a plenary meeting of all of the social partners in Dublin Castle on Thursday, 2 February. This was followed by a round of bilateral meetings with each of the four pillars, trade union, business-employer, farming and community and voluntary, at which the pillars set out in greater detail their key issues and priorities for a new agreement.

The bilateral meeting with the farming pillar took place on the morning of Wednesday, 8 February. On the afternoon of that date, the named organisations informed my Department that they were suspending their participation in the negotiations as they had become aware that an advertisement was to be placed in the Irish Farmers' Journal regarding the implementation of the regulations introduced to implement the nitrates directive. The Government has noted this suspension.

The Government invites the social partners to participate in talks. It is for each organisation to decide if it will participate.