SOUTH Dublin County Council, says it is, willing to meet unions' representing its refuse workers to discuss the appointment of an agreed chairperson to arbitrate in their current dispute.
Until now the council has wanted a former chairman of the Labour Court, Mr John O'Connor, to chair the mediation discussions, while the unions want a former rights commissioner, Mr Stephen Treacy.
The assistant county manager, Mr Denis Carter, has appealed to the two unions involved, SIPTU and AGEMOU, to attend mediation and call off the week long strike. The action, which is over the allocation of new routes for a "wheelie bin" scheme, has disrupted refuse collections to 66,000 homes in the council area.
SIPTU, which represents most of the 105 refuse collectors, has threatened to extend the dispute to other manual employees of the council.
Yesterday Mr Carter said council officials were available for discussions "at all times. We have this agreement with a clause to remedy disputes and it is signed by representatives of SIPTU and the AGEMOU."
The council is advising the public not to leave out refuse until "further notice."