Nurses are expected to accept the Labour Court award on pay and career structures when their votes are counted today.
Taken with the overwhelming vote for new talks at the special delegate conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in Dublin yesterday, this should clear the way for talks on a successor to Partnership 2000.
The Irish Business and Employers' Confederation has welcomed the outcome of the ICTU conference. It said that Ireland could continue to benefit from pay moderation and tax cuts.
Meanwhile the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, is to meet delegations from the ICTU, IBEC and the "third pillar" to Partnership 2000, which represents the voluntary and community sectors, at separate meetings today.
The discussions will provide early pointers on the shape of future talks and the priorities of the different social partners, as well as on the content of next month's budget.
The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, which will be part of the "third pillar" delegation, is calling on the Government to produce a White Paper on full employment as part of an "Action Plan for the New Millennium".
The general secretary of the INOU, Mr Mike Allen, said yesterday that unemployment remained one of the biggest challenges facing the Government. He said that the INOU position on any future partnership agreement would be decided on a number of issues.
