IRISH Life has appointed a director of human resources and organisation development as staff agreed to binding arbitration by the Employer-Labour Conference to settle their dispute with the company.

The company agreed last week to accept a ruling by the ELC following a call from staff at head offices on both sides to agree tub binding arbitration. The sales staff, agreed by a three-to-one majority in Portlaoise yesterday to go to binding arbitration. But they wilt not return to work before the ELC, reaches its decision.

The 320 sales staff, members of the MSF union, were suspended in early February when they refused to implement changes in work practices and structures.

Welcoming the decision, a company spokesman described it as "a significant step forward". The company was encouraged by the move, he said.

Irish Life yesterday announced the appointment of Mr Niall Saul as director of human resources and organisational development. The decision to create the new position reflects the growth in the size and geographic spread of the group as well as the need to plan and organise ongoing change, the spokesman said. The former general manager in charge of personnel, Mr Jim O'Neill, moved from his position to the special projects division last January.

The new position will involve responsibility for all human resources and organisation development issues in group operations in Ireland, the US, Britain and France. Stating the appointment was not connected to the current dispute, the spokesman said Mr Saul would focus on changes at management and personnel levels over the next five to 10 years to make Irish Life "a totally customer-oriented company

Mr Saul joins Irish Life from Waterford Crystal where he is group human resources director. Irish Life managing director Mr David Kingston said Mr Saul would have "a very significant role to play in the development of the group in the coming years".