All industry rival eyes are on Independent News & Media Plc. as it pushes forward with its decision to outsource production of its main Irish titles.

Sizeable severance packages have helped the company smooth the path to outsourcing most of its Irish subbing work, despite increasing opposition even before the decision has been publicly announced, Press Gazette has reported.

The company's initial package gave eight weeks of pay for each year of service, and a minimum amount of almost £40,700 and a maximum amount of £170,000.

“The company put on the table an extraordinarily generous package,” Séamus Dooley, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, told Press Gazette. “Arising from very solid union agreement, terms of employment were already very good at IN&M, and eight weeks' pay per year of service was a significant amount.”

Although opposition to the outsourcing was expressed by staff at the company's NUJ meeting, the offer swayed many.