Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she proposes to take to resolve a dispute at a company (details supplied); if she will refer the dispute to the Labour Relations Commission or the Labour Court; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37856/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Since the announcement by Coca Cola HBC last June regarding its decision to outsource the remaining elements of its distribution and warehousing operations, affecting 130 of its employees spread across six sites, there have been extensive efforts to resolve this dispute and the services of both the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court have been utilised by the parties.

A Labour Court hearing was conducted on September 18 under Section 20(1) of the 1969 Industrial Relations Act, which makes the Court's recommendation binding on the party that brought the case, in this case SIPTU. The Labour Court issued its recommendation on 21 September.

The Labour Court recommended that the company should offer a redundancy package along the lines envisaged in the SIPS (Single Island Production System) deal that had been negotiated between the company and the union in recent years. The Court also recommended that the company and the union should have further discussions on the union's proposal to conduct a feasibility study in relation to its Dublin facility.

I understand that the company decided not to accept the Court's recommendation. I understand that the company subsequently received a clarification from the Labour Court on its recommendation, although the company has not found it possible to accept the Labour Court recommendation thus far.

I understand also that a formal request has now been received from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for a meeting of the National Implementation Body in regard to this dispute. While no date has been set as yet for a meeting of that body, I hope the parties will continue efforts to secure an agreed settlement in this matter.

Ireland's system of industrial relations is, essentially, voluntary in nature and responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes is a matter for the parties involved. The system of industrial relations in Ireland is designed to help and support parties in their efforts to resolve their differences, rather than imposing a solution on the parties to an industrial dispute. Responsibility for the settlement of this dispute rests, ultimately, with the parties themselves. The obligation lies with the parties to seek to resolve their differences and to carry their efforts through to completion.