Extending the boundaries of alternative dispute resolution: Private dispute resolution in Irish industrial relations

Abstract

This article examines the features and effectiveness of 11 ‘private dispute resolution arrangements’ (PDRAs) established by employers and unions in Ireland since the early 2000s to resolve collective disputes within organizations. These PDRAs are groundbreaking in redrawing the rules aligning internal dispute resolution with services provided by external state agencies. The article extends the boundaries of our knowledge of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by highlighting the features of PDRAs and by identifying the conditions contributing to their evenhandedness, fairness and independence.