A trade union leader has warned that any attempt by the Minister for Agriculture to discipline civil servants during the present talks on pay and staffing will only lead to an escalation of the dispute.
The general secretary of the Civil and Public Services Union, Mr John O'Dowd, was reacting to comments yesterday by Mr Liam Egan, of the Irish Farmers' Association, accusing Mr Yates of a "kid glove approach" to civil servants during their work to rule.
Mr Egan said: "It is incredible that Minister Yates continues to pay his employees while they continue to refuse to do any work." He described the union's action as "reckless" and causing enormous financial hardship to hundreds of livestock farmers.
His comments came after the CPSU had agreed to release tests for 164 reactor cattle which had been held up by industrial action at the Department of Agriculture's brucellosis laboratory in Cork.
The Irish Times has learnt that the union agreed to release documentation on the tests in the interests of public safety during talks with officials from the Departments of Agriculture and Finance at the Labour Relations Commission on Friday. Talks are to resume at the LRC on Wednesday.