The former ICTU general secretary Mr Peter Cassells is to act as a facilitator in talks between management and unions at An Post.

Mr Cassells, who recently ran unsuccessfully in the European elections, has been accepted by An Post management and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU), the largest union at the company.

Mr Cassells has considerable experience chairing talks between management and unions especially at State companies. He has performed this role on several occasions at the ESB.

His appointment follows the issuing of a recommendation by the National Implementation Body (NIB) this week on the controversial decision to reintegrate SDS into the main An Post group.

According to this recommendation, an independent facilitator will oversee the sharing of financial information concerning the re-integration of SDS.

Specifically, the company will provide the unions with the information which underpinned its decision to reintegrate SDS and any other "circumstances" relevant to this decision. This process is expected to be completed by September 24th.

Mr Cassells will also be asked to chair talks aimed at reviewing consultation and "information sharing" across An Post. Both sides welcomed the development.

Unions were meant to be provided with fresh financial information yesterday, but this will not happen now until Mr Cassells contacts the parties.

The CWU maintain that SDS remains commercially viable and is an important service for small and medium enterprises. The CWU general secretary, Mr Steve Fitzpatrick, has said the company's plan, which provides for 270 jobs losses at SDS, does not stack up. The CWU has accused the company of "massaging" figures.

The management has strongly denied that any "massaging" of figures has taken place. The company points out that SDS is currently forecast to post a loss of €10 million for 2004. An earlier forecast from February put this at €7.7 million.