The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment has announced an investigation into the background of the recent industrial relations dispute between electricians and their employers.
Mary Coughlan said she has not yet decided on the format of the investigation, but said she will make an announcement on the way forward shortly.
The 1990 Industrial Relations Act has provisions for the set up of such investigations.
The Technical, Engineering and Electrical Union has welcomed the investigation and say they will recommend not to reactivate industrial action while it is taking place.
General Secretary Owen Wills warned, however, that a clear timeframe, not greater than a month, must be set for the investigation to be completed.
The TEEU had called on Ms Coughlan to set up an investigation in an effort to avert a renewed strike.
The union expressed disappointment at the decision of a group representing 300 small and medium electrical contractors to reject settlement terms for the recent electricians' dispute.
Last night, it emerged that members of the Association of Electrical Contractors had voted by a large majority to reject Labour Court recommendations for a 4.9% wage increase for electricians to be paid in two phases.
Another contractors' group - the Electrical Contractors Association which represents 50 major contractors - had already accepted the recommendations, as had the executive of the TEEU.
Electricians returned to work on 13 July after a week-long strike that affected hundreds of construction and manufacturing sites around the country.
