Although management at the paper is still finalising its plans, the Sunday Tribune has learned that staff at the paper's Ireland. com website were transferred to the Irish Times two weeks ago. They had previously been employed by a separate subsidiary.

It is understood the paper's internet journalists will now move into its main newsroom and will be spread amongst its editorial departments, which will be expected to produce newspaper stories on a 24hour basis.

The National Union of Journalists has confirmed that the paper has started consulting with staff regarding the move, although both stress that the process is at an early stage.

The NUJ's Irish organiser, Seamus Dooley, said the union supported integration.

"The NUJ would welcome the integration of the Ireland. com staff into the paper and the security that that brings for them."

However, industry sources have indicated that a potential sticking point in any forthcoming negotiations will be the fact that existing Irish Times staff enjoy better pay and conditions than their online counterparts. It is understood, however, that the NUJ expects little resistance to its demand for parity between the two groups.

Although there has been no suggestion so far of any job cuts as a result of the move, Irish Times staff who spoke to the Sunday Tribune indicated that they were concerned that there would not be enough positions at the paper for the online journalists to fill.

Staff believe the aim of the exercise is to emulate the integrated newsroom plans being developed by the Guardian in Britain.

Under the Guardian's plans, which were approved by its journalists in November, all reporters will file copy for the main newspaper as well as providing regular story updates on the paper's website. In some cases, they will publish stories on the internet before they appear in the main paper. They are also expected to work night shifts.

There have been rumours at the Irish Times that recent changes to the shift patterns of sub-editors, who edit newspaper articles, are a precursor to 24-hour working at the paper.

Senior sources at the paper stress, however, that it is too early to say precisely what model of integration it will employ.