The row at the Luas has spread to include the leading figures in the country's industrial relations mechanism.

The head of the Workplace Relations Commission says he has no intention of standing down, after being called on to do so by the President of SIPTU.

Kieran Mulvey issued a statement this morning, standing over comments made on RTE this morning;

Mr Kieran Mulvey, Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission, this morning
responded to calls from the President of SIPTU, Mr Jack O’Connor for him to stand down.
Mr. Mulvey said that “throughout its work in attempting to resolve the ongoing Luas dispute the
focus of the WRC has been on bringing the parties together for discussions and to find an outcome
that was acceptable to both parties and one that would bring to an end the not inconsiderable
inconvenience being imposed on the citizens of Dublin and visitors to the capital”.
He added that, in extending the invitation to talks “I was conscious of both parties publicly expressed
view that the WRC should intervene and I did that in good faith”.
In responding to Mr. O’Connor’s assertion that an alternative method of resolving the dispute was
under active consideration at the time the invitation to the talks was issued and that such an
invitation was ill-timed Mr Mulvey said that at no stage was the Commission made aware that an
another approach to resolving the dispute was being considered and the WRC acted only in response
to the public statements issued by the parties and direct contact with and from them. He added
that “when issuing the invitation I asked the company not to proceed with the supply of alternative
transport on St. Patrick’s Day and the company did that. For its part, the trade union called off the
action planned for the day”.
Mr. Mulvey said that the proposals issued arising from the talks were, in his view, the best that could
be achieved at the time and he made this known to both parties. “I am of the opinion”, he said “that
both parties must surely recognise that any outcome will not be a million miles away from these
proposals and ask the question does further disruption of service assist the reaching of such an
agreement”.
He concluded by saying that “Jack believes that in articulating this view I have somehow undermined
my position in the dispute. I disagree and have no intention of standing down nor see any reason to
do so”.

The Transport Minister says he won't intervene in the row by spending taxpayers' money on it.

Luas drivers are striking tomorrow and on Sunday, after overwhelmingly rejecting a pay deal brokered at the WRC last week.

Juliette Gash reports;