There were growing fears last night that the gap between unions and management may be too great to avert a national strike by firefighters on Thursday.
Little progress was reported in almost seven hours of talks at the Labour Court yesterday. The chairman, Mr Finbarr Flood, adjourned the talks and is to summon both sides to meet him at 2.30 p.m. today.
However, it was unclear last night if the hearing would resume. If the gap between the two sides is too great, Mr Flood may consider there is an insufficient basis for issuing a recommendation that will be be accepted by both sides.
After the meeting, SIPTU branch secretary Mr Paul Smith, who represents the majority of the 900 firefighters in Dublin, said the unions still believe a formula proposed in direct talks with management a fortnight ago represents the best chance of averting a strike.
This was a proposal by Mr Charlie Douglas, a retired ATGWU official who chaired the talks, that firefighters be given the parity pay increase they are claiming with the Garda and that an independent evaluation be conducted afterwards.
Mr Douglas said that, following the independent evaluation, the pay increase could be adjusted if required in any successor to Partnership 2000.
The national firefighters' committee in SIPTU is meeting this morning to consider a report from negotiators on yesterday's talks.
Dublin Corporation is understood to be insisting its capacity to make pay increases is limited by the 5 per cent cap imposed by the Department of Finance.
A further 200 full-time firefighters in other local authorities, whose pay is related to Dublin, have balloted for strike action.
Both groups are arguing that they have already conceded far more productivity than the Garda did for the 9 per cent the latter have received.
The crucial issues in dispute relate to redeployment and reduced call-out crews. The Dublin Firefighters' Representative Association has already begun a campaign to win public support in the event of Thursday's strike going ahead.