Insights from Mediation at the WRC: A Review of 1,000 Mediation Cases

The WRC published a new report called 'Insights from Mediation at the WRC'. Published on 9 July 2026, the report provides a snapshot of 1,000 mediations exploring outcomes, representation, methods and length of mediation, and how they all interconnect.

As per Section 39 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) provides statutory pre-adjudication mediation, and this can arise when an individual makes an employment or equality complaint to the WRC and both parties (the employer and employee) have agreed to engage in mediation as a means of seeking resolution prior to an adjudication hearing.

Pre-adjudication mediation with the WRC is conducted on a confidential basis (as per legislation), parties can reach a settlement without any admission of liability and any agreement reached is legally binding. Through this free service both parties can explore solutions in a creative and non-adversarial environment. Complainants and respondents can choose to be represented at mediation should they wish, however there is no requirement to be.

Record Growth in Pre-Adjudication Mediations

2025 marked a significant milestone at the WRC with 1,034 pre-adjudication mediations taking place – the first time the total has exceeded 1,000. This marks a 16% increase on the 2024 figure of 894.

The WRC’s insightful report on pre-adjunction meditation (hereafter referred to as mediation) providing in-depth analysis of mediations completed between January and December 2025. Commenting on the significance of this data, Brendan Schütte, Mediator, Author and Programme Facilitator for the Ibec Academy Certificate and Diploma in Mediation noted:

“Research in mediation, especially in Ireland, is scant. So, it is very refreshing to read the WRC report which highlights the positive, but discrete, impact that mediation is having in our workplaces and in resolving grievances and conflict in an effective and human-centred way”.

Delivery Formats and Settlement Rates

Regarding the north of 1,000 mediations which took place, over two-thirds (70.9%) where held in person, with 18% taking place over the phone and 11.1% taking place remotely. The report notes that telephone mediations are typically used for the least complex areas of employment law for example payment of wages and working time which help explain the higher settlement rate of 67.2%, versus 48.7% for in-person mediation and 49.5% for virtual mediation.

Complaint Profiles and Resolution Trends

The five most frequently mediated complaint categories were unfair dismissal (29.9%), employment equality (18.4%), pay (15.7%), terms and conditions of employment (8%), and equal status (6%). The WRC highlighted the complaint profile of mediation cases is largely consistent with that of cases referred to the Adjudication services.

Mediation resolution rates vary considerably by the category of the complaint, with penalisation and protected disclosure cases demonstrating relatively low rates of settlement, in contract to minimum notice, hours of work, terms and conditions of employment, and unfair dismissal complaints which have higher settlement rates.

Representation in Mediation

Regarding representation rates, respondents demonstrated a higher level of representation (65.7%) in comparison to complainant’s representation rate of 42.5% and the WRC notes that the financial costs associated with representation are likely a contributing factor for complainants.

In respect of complainants, representation by legal practitioners (65%) was the most popular, while trade unions and advocacy services represented 26% and 5% respectively. In comparison, 48.4% of respondents were represented by legal practitioners, behind this was Ibec at 26.9%, followed by HR Professionals with 21.6% and others at 3% (this includes but is not limited to sector representative bodies and industry federations).

Barriers to Resolution

There are many reasons as to why mediation does not achieve a resolution, however according to the report, the most significant barrier, by a significant margin, was that the parties could not reach agreement on a financial settlement, with the gap between their positions often proving too wide to overcome, from the mediator’s perspective. The next most common reasons for cases remaining unresolved was that the cases were not suitable for mediation. According to mediators this included situations where there was withdrawal from the process by one or both parties, unrealistic expectations regarding the outcome of mediation, the parties did not act in good faith and/or the parties had very little understanding of the purpose of mediation. In some cases, the respondent was awaiting funding from a third party. Also, mediators reported that the respondent’s approach to the process contributed to non-resolution in almost 13% of mediations for the following reasons.

Key Statistics

The report provides several other valuable insights:

• Where agreement is reached, in most instances (81.7%) the settlement agreement is signed during the mediation session – with 18.3% signed following the session.
• Most mediations (86%) are completed within a half-day timeframe.
• Among the 1,000 mediations analysed – 54% (574) reached a resolution. Of these, 97.2% (558) involved a financial compensation, with the remaining 16 cases concluding without a monetary payment.
• The most common settlement amount (the mode) was €5,000 and the median settlement payment was €6,000. However, figures for telephone mediations tended to be much lower, likely due to their less complex nature.

The Broader Value of Mediation

While the report recognises that the payment of an agreed financial amount is often key to resolving complaints at mediation, it is equally important to acknowledge the wider benefits which can arise from reaching a mediated agreement which include the below

• The mediation process allows the parties the opportunity to resolve disputes in a constructive and non-adversarial setting, without the need to escalate the dispute to an adjudication hearing.
• Once a mediated agreement is reached it is legally binding on both parties.
• Mediation protects the privacy of the parties as it’s confidential (as opposed to public adjudication hearings where outcomes are published with the parties' details).
• Compared to adjudication, mediation is more informal and the parties are not required to provide submissions or evidence.

As Brendan Schütte highlights, this structural difference has a profound impact on the people involved:

"The process of mediation, being more empathetic to the parties' needs rather than being preoccupied with formality and legalities, means a more customised solution can be arrived at and with considerably less stress on those involved."

The WRC analysis of 1,000 pre-adjudication mediations conducted in 2025 reflects the increasing role of mediation as an effective means of resolving workplace and equality complaints. Growing numbers of complainants and respondents are choosing mediation, demonstrating increased trust in the process as an efficient, accessible and affordable means of resolving disputes.

To build organisational capability for navigating conflict with empathy, understanding and confidence, Ibec Academy offers a suite of specialised mediation programmes. Whether you are looking to develop your practical capability with the Mediation Skills programme, achieve professional accreditation with the Certificate in Mediation, or master complex dispute resolution through the highly-regarded CPD Diploma in Mediation, these courses provide the empathetic and practical frameworks needed to resolve workplace conflicts early and effectively.

Liz Murphy, Senior Executive, Ibec Academy