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Updated at 8.25pm
AER LINGUS HAS said this evening it will now begin re-accommodating and rebooking customers in order to give them certainty about their travel arrangements during the impending air strike over the St Patrick’s weekend.
Earlier today, SIPTU said it was not in a position as yet to call off the work stoppage planned at Aer Lingus and the country’s three main airports. The union confirmed last week it was planning work stoppages at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports following a breakdown of talks aimed at resolving a long-running row over a €700 million deficit in the fund.
The comments today came in spite of the announcement of an expert group to examine problems relating to the pensions scheme at the centre of the dispute.
A joint statement was released this lunchtime from the Department of Transport, Department of Jobs, employers group IBEC and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. It confirms that an expert panel will be established “to carry out an urgent investigation of how a final resolution of the industrial relations issues relating to the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS) can be secured”.
A spokesperson for SIPTU said the union’s position was unchanged as yet, and that representatives were considering the statement. This evening Aer Lingus said in a statement that it is willing to engage with the expert panel “on a voluntary and non-binding basis”. It also encouraged all other parties to engage with the panel with a view to the full implementation of Labour Court Recommendations.
The airline said the notice of industrial action has already caused “significant commercial damage to the company and has inconvenienced and distressed customers”.
Experts
IBEC and ICTU have each nominated an industrial relations expert and a financial expert to the panel. The members will be Brendan McGinty (IBEC) and Laura Gallagher (KPMG); and Peter McLoone (Congress) and Eugene McMahon (Mazers).
They’ve been asked to report back with recommendations in four week’s time.
According to this afternoon’s statement:
The potential consequences for all parties are stark should the employers and unions not be able to resolve their differences.The Government, Ibec and Congress are of the view that a final effort should be made to resolve this dispute without recourse to industrial action, which would be very disruptive for the travelling public and could have very serious consequences for the companies concerned, their employees, members of the IASS and for the economy.
The parties are invited to confirm to the Secretary General of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport that they are willing to engage on this basis.
SIPTU announced the action last Thursday, citing “the refusal of the companies to engage in meaningful talks or to present reasonable or fair proposals during discussions in recent days”.
- With additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy.
First posted at 1.48pm
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There’s an error in the article. You called her an “entertainer”.
She’ll be on the Late Late now to tell us about her “ordeal”.
Delighted ted is home and out of harms way. I do wish the gaurds would help other non celebrities who are going through the same thing. Loads of dogs are stolen right now and no help to get them back. I’m so happy for ted and twink. These people need prosecuting and named. There also has to be some sort of ring connected with all the dog theft.
They do when possible, it just doesn’t get reported because the press doesn’t care about non-celebrity dog theft.
Delighted for her, she’s probably at home stroking her mutt now.
The dog planned it all, staging a dog-napping in a bid for freedom.
Or in a bid for a bit of publicity for twink – things a little quiet lately!!!
Maybe the animal liberation front were involved.
Happy the dog is reunited with an owner who cares for it… Even if the owner is a terrible, terrible person.
Poor dog!
Unbelievable the publicity this unpleasant individual got over this nonsense, even the more distasteful linda martin got in on the act (excuse the pun). Wait for it, wait for it! Linda & Twink kiss and make up, to star in a new Christmas panto! “Who let the Dog out” o yes they will, o no they won’t, o yes the f@^king will! God help the children of Ireland.
Which one is the dog.Deeply confused here.
Only if you’ve lost a family pet do you realise the terrible effect the loss can have. Great news story and well done to the Gardai involved. Nice job.
She didn’t look too devastated on Sunday in the premium level at the all Ireland final.
Happy the little dog is back to people who love him.
I’m sure the average person wouldn’t receive this level of investigation. Maybe the gardai wanted to get her off their case do they solved hers.
A search warrant? Jaysus
What is wrong with this country? Health in crisis, education in crisis, housing in crisis, elderly women being raped in their own homes and this makes headlines! Give me strength !!!!!!!!
Glad the dog was found I feel so sorry for that poor animal because of who owns it she spends most of her life chasing media attention.
Delighted that teddy is home with his owner who loves him so much. A nice story when you read about all the cruelty some poor animals have to suffer at the hands of their owners.
Yes I agree. looking over some of the animal cruelty cases here and nothing been done yet when this pooch goes missing it has been located and a person arrested it puts my mind wondering what is going on with the other cases not solved
I agree Mary. While I would be a fan of Twink the entertainer, I have met her several times when I’ve been walking my dog in Rathfarnham. She walks six or seven dogs together, most of which are rescues that she has given a good home. In fact, it’s a colourful procession as you can imagine and her dog called Mary is quite mad.
Kill me, kill me now. Chrissakes.
How is this news?? I suppose Barry Egan will have an exclusive interview with the dog in next weekend’s Sindo
Oh tell me you didn’t just publish her phone number ????
Good news. My little poodle died in May so I know what it’s like to lose a much loved pet.
At least we got an unintentionally hilarious interview from that master of satire, Barry Egan. Waterford Whispers have never done anything as funny as this…
No he just really really likes dogs
The yoke that “writes” in the Sindo???
I really enjoyed that link! Thanks for sharing.
Some crocodile in Florida is looking for their baby ,too :( Last seen being worn by an egotistical ginger head testicle that has just given an hilarious interview with a “diva”.
Animal liberation front, won’t be happy
@ptriley shocked that you would us such an old world non PC term. why the hoards of PC wallahs and LBGT/Labour drones/queen bees will be beside themslves with outrage….quickly Journal smelling salts!
No, just a complete W%&nker who thinks he is a journalist.
He writes unbelievable drivel!!! And the language of this “celeb”.pathetic stuff
Nobody cares.
Ah good, I was praying for her. So much wrong with the world- the Ebola virus, world hunger, wars, child abuse, Twink’s missing dog, murder, cancer… at least one of those things has now been put right. xx
Why is this even a news topic? Jesus Christ!!!
Who or what is twink?
What is Barry Egan?? Made a big show about getting married lately but wasn’t he married before ??
Twink is a twunt!
3 days of media coverage. A massive interview with the largest tabloid in Ireland (Indo on Saturday). A feel good ending.
There’s a man in Tallagh who’s going to receive a brown envelope when all the focus on him dies down – I can’t remember what movie it is that this reminds me of. (fake kidnapping for attention…)
Dumb and Dumber! That was it.
I’d say it’s an appropriate movie title but I don’t like calling a dog dumb, the rest fits.
What lies beneath
There is always a special bond between a mother and Child.
There’s more important things happening throughout this city than a weathered Irish ‘entertainers’ dog been taken! In saying that, and hopefully, with adequate help from the proper groups, the dog can make a full recovery from its horrific ordeal!
Sarcasm and very hurtful comments alive and well on the Journal!
‘Very big dog reunited with very small dog’
I cannot believe Garda time was wasted looking for a dog…don’t give a sh*te how much she loves him, there are druggies all over the place and they are wasting time looking for a has-beens dog??? What is the world coming to? That poor dog almost made it….
So a vicious horrible bitch gets reunited with a cute little dog.
She is a hag of epic proportions.
it must be close to panto season!
Could we now arrange now for Twink to go missing ?
Ah Twink!
Never short on providing a laugh…
Top class news as normal
Who’s Twink?
Pair of mutts
Couldn’t. Care. Less
She better zip up her Teddy!!!
Lucky it was not her cat.
Raise the maximum prison sentence for animal cruelty
http://www.sgoal.org/Raise-the-maximum-prison-sentence-for-an-animal-cruelty
Phew!
I’m noy a dog lover,but I fell in love with Teddy!
Slight undercurrent of dislike for twink me thinks,Holmes!
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