Union and employer representatives were last night continuing efforts to break the deadlock in negotiations on a new national partnership deal. The two sides met daily this week to try to bridge a wide gap between them on measures needed to underpin employment standards.
It is understood that a small degree of progress has been made and intensive discussions, chaired by senior Government official Dermot McCarthy, are likely to continue through the weekend.
Depending on the degree of further progress, the parties could decide to "park" the employment standards issue and move on to other matters next week such as pay rates.
However, sources at the talks emphasised that fundamental disagreements remained on key issues and the prospects of a deal remained in the balance.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is seeking new legislation in a range of areas to prevent the exploitation of workers and combat job displacement.
Employers bodies Irish Business and Employers Confederation and the Construction Industry Federation say they are willing to examine the need for better enforcement of existing employment laws, but they oppose the imposition of new regulations.
It is understood there has been engagement this week, however, on structures that might be needed to avoid a repeat "on land" of the Irish Ferries crisis of last year. The ferry company's decision to replace its seafaring staff with cheaper migrant labour caused a major industrial relations crisis and put the future of social partnership in doubt.
In Cork yesterday, Siptu general secretary Joe O'Flynn said there could be no new national agreement unless employment standards were protected.
He told a Siptu seminar on the EU services directive that "powerful vested interests" were constantly seeking to "reform" the EU by "driving down labour standards and exploiting ever-larger markets without having to accept any responsibility for the social consequences".
