THE Eastern Health Board and IMPACT, which represents the 16 community welfare officers at the centre of a dispute over emergency welfare services for the homeless and refugees, were understood to be close to agreement last night.
Talks were continuing and staff have indicated that they will cooperate in providing essential services during the dispute.
Sources commenting on the progress of the talks said that both sides had agreed that the refugee services should be split off from provisions for the homeless. But the problems of finding a suitable alternative premises and agreeing staffing levels for the new service still remain.
Community welfare services for refugees and asylum seekers were originally attached to the homeless unit at West Charles Street as an ad hoc arrangement. But last year the office dealt with 900 case files involving 1,200 people.
IMPACT is said to be looking for a significant increase in the number of community welfare officers and back up staff to cater for refugees at a new premises. Management is understood to be willing to increase staffing, but not to the level being sought.
The board offered to completely renovate the premises at West Charles Street at a cost of £335,000 last Monday in an unsuccessful effort to avert the dispute.
The union wants an immediate clean up of the building and then the production of a long term development plan for the homeless service within two weeks.