Introduction
In October 1996 the Government invited a wide range of Social Partners to Dublin Castle to participate in discussions on the development of a new national Partnership to cover the next three years. In extending that invitation, Government signalled that the process of negotiation would be wider and more inclusive than heretofore. Government also signalled its desire, in common with the Social Partners, to deepen partnership, taking it from the national level to sectoral, community and enterprise level.
The key objective for all participants. Government and Social Partners, has been to secure for Ireland through improved competitiveness; the benefits which preceding national agreements have won, to build upon and extend the economic and social progress that has been achieved and to ensure an equitable distribution of future benefits across society.
To secure the required growth to meet the higher standards of living which all sections of society seek, a fundamental issue has to be addressed — how to promote competitiveness in the face of the challenges ahead for Ireland, including global competition, the information society, technology advances, world trade negotiations, ongoing reform in the Agriculture area, EMU and enlargement of the European Union.
Through the deeper dialogue that has developed between the Government and Social Partners, I believe an innovative approach to tackling the challenges ahead has been adopted. The Partnership contains a number of significant elements, in particular the partnership within enterprises and the modernisation of the Public Service on the one hand and action for greater social inclusion and a new focus on equality on the other.
Finally, I wish to thank all those who participated in the negotiations and I look forward to taking the Partnership forward through implementation.
John Bruton,
Taoiseach.
