A total of 2,801 working days were lost because of industrial disputes in the second quarter of the year, according to the Central Statistics Office.
This compares to 29,196 for the same three months of 2003. During April, May and June last, three disputes began.
Six disputes began or were in progress in the first six months of the year, involving six companies. A total of 5,370 days were lost in that period.
The manufacturing industry accounted for almost 45 per cent of the total days lost in the first six months of the year.