The talks ... and what they are about.
• Talks on a new national partnership agreement open today at Dublin Castle.
• Partnership deals set national pay rates and also include policies and objectives under various social and economic headings.
• They are negotiated between the Government and the social partners, who comprise organisations from four "pillars": trade unions, employers, farm bodies and the community and voluntary sector.
• If an agreement is reached it will maintain an unbroken sequence of partnership programmes since the first was negotiated in 1987. The talks are expected to last six weeks.
