AN AGREEMENT HAS finally been reached between pilots and Ryanair over the ongoing industrial dispute, the union Fórsa has said.

It comes following a 22-hour negotiating session which began yesterday morning, and carried on into this morning, according to a statement from the union.

“The proposed agreement will now go to ballot, with a recommendation for acceptance from Fórsa and its Ryanair pilot representatives,” it said.

Pilots had gone on strike for five days since the beginning of July over the dispute. The union had said that further strikes were likely if no deal was agreed.

The pilots had been seeking improved terms on issues including leave, promotion and base transfers.

In a statement, Ryanair said: “Ryanair today confirmed that overnight it had reached agreement with Fórsa union and its Irish pilots committee on behalf of Republic of Ireland based pilots. Ryanair will take these proposals to its board in due course after the Irish-based pilots have voted on this signed agreement.”

The assistance of independent facilitator Kieran Mulvey, who formerly headed the Workplace Relations Commission, had been enlisted to help reach an agreement.

At the request of the facilitator, Fórsa said it would not make any further comment while the ballot of members takes place.