Secondary teachers are likely to be balloted on a new package of measures from the Labour Court in the most serious attempt yet to resolve the five-month-old pay dispute.
The union's 17,000 members, who have strongly supported strike action so far, will have the final decision on whether strikes resume and exams are disrupted.
Last night the Labour Court was finalising the package, which does not include any up-front payment for teachers.
The ASTI negotiating team, led by the union's general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon, was upbeat about the prospects. However, a number of union hardliners who were briefed on the deal at a meeting of the 22member standing committee were more circumspect. A crucial question if the package is put to a ballot is whether the leadership recommends acceptance.
Even if the leadership endorses the deal, the outcome could still be uncertain. Over recent months the standing committee has defied the wishes of Mr Lennon and his allies at crucial moments.
The revised deal will be issued tomorrow shortly before the scheduled meeting of the ASTI's 180-member central executive committee.
As reported earlier this week in The Irish Times, the package includes no down-payment for teachers, but it does contain reassurances about bench marking and the promise of more money from a "process" on supervision, in-service training and other issues.
In the first softening of its position since the disruptive action began, the ASTI yesterday deferred strikes planned for today and tomorrow. It did so after a clear signal from the Labour Court chairman, Mr Finbarr Flood, that he could not tolerate strikes during negotiations.
Explaining why the strike action had been deferred, Mr Lennon told a press conference that this had been done as a "gesture of goodwill". Mr Flood and Mr Lennon both reported progress at the talks, but Mr Lennon said that "critical issues" remained to be finalised.
Few sources were prepared to speculate on the outcome of any ballot. The ASTI's membership previously voted by almost 90 per cent for strike action. The 70 per cent turnout in the vote was regarded as high.
In another significant development, a new group, the Union of Secondary Students (USS), meets in Dublin today. It said yesterday that the ASTI should ballot its members on any proposals emerging from the Labour Court. It distanced itself from violent action by a small group of secondary pupils.
The Labour Party's education spokeswoman, Ms Roisin Short hall, said there was still a threat to the entire education system. "Teachers and parents alike have been shocked by the scenes of street violence and the breakdown of discipline in a number of schools", she said. "If the strike is not settled, possibly irreparable damage will be done.
"The ASTI have shown goodwill by agreeing to defer the next two days of the strike. What is now required is a renewed effort, with flexibility and compromise on both sides, to ensure that the dispute is settled and teachers and pupils are able to return to the classroom at the earliest opportunity."
Mr George O'Callaghan, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents most school managers, urged students to return to their classes. "It will not be long before someone is seriously injured", he said. "School managers are trying to keep a balance between the right to protest and safety of the students in our care."