HOPES of ending the South Dublin County Council refuse dispute rose last night after unions and management agreed, a basis for resuming direct negotiations following 12 hours of talks at the Labour Relations, Commission.
At the talks both sides agreed on an independent, chairman and the terms of reference for his mediation in the dispute. The LRC is expected to contact the individual concerned later today. If he is available, negotiations are expected to resume tomorrow.
The dispute, which is over a reorganisation of refuse collection routes as part of the phasing in of a "wheelie bin" system, has left some areas of south Dublin without refuse collections for over a month.
Even if talks resume on Wednesday it is unlikely that terms will be agreed before Thursday or Friday at the earliest. The unions, SIPTU and AGEMOU, would then have to ballot members on a return to work. The earliest date for a resumption of collection services is probably Monday.
