A MEETING of Irish Life sales staff adjourned last night seeking clarification from Labour Relations Commission officer Mr John Agnew on his proposals to end their six-week dispute with the company. The company has accepted Mr Agnew's proposals which a spokesman said would cost £2 million to implement.

As the group reported a 9 per cent rise in operating profits to £93 million for 1996, the sales staff met in Portlaoise.

In his nine-page document, Mr Agnew confirmed the Labour Court recommendations on changes in work practices but made a number of new recommendations and increased compensation in some areas.

He recommended a minimum payment of £1,000 be set for staff who chose to concentrate on home service sales and the removal of a link between sales performance and compensation payments.

New elements include a voluntary retirement scheme for staff aged 52 years and over, a joint review of security issues and the refund to staff of money spent on second computers.

As an incentive to end the dispute, Mr Agnew recommended payments of £200 plus to per cent of outstanding customer payments to staff to collect the arrears accumulated during the dispute - the average payment would be about £600 per person. In addition he recommended an £800 interest-free loan repayable over two years in recognition of the hardship of losing six weeks salary.

Meanwhile, Irish Life announced that growth in new business and investment income boosted operating profits by 9 per cent to £93.1 million last year. Page 4