Talks between health service employers and nursing unions have adjourned for the evening and will resume again tomorrow morning.
The talks began before the National Implementation Body (NIB) this afternoon after an invite was last night extended to the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO), the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA), Siptu and the Health Service Executive (HSE) employers' agency.
Initial reports from the meeting suggest progress was predictably slow but all parties will be back around the table tomorrow.
Speaking to ireland.comthis evening deputy general secretary of the INO Dave Hughes said that there are no plans to review the decision to defer work stoppages.
"The process itself is encouraging," said Mr Hughes. "We'll certainly want to give it a good bit more time than that.
"We'll be back in tomorrow and we'll be making every effort to try and make progress if we can."
Members of the INO and the PNA are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and the reduction in hours to a 35-hour week.
Today's talks went ahead on the condition that the INO and the PNA agreed to defer a planned escalation in work stoppages, though their work-to-rule was to continue. Some 40,000 nurses are engaged in a work-to-rule action throughout the State.
The unions have engaged in a number of short work stoppages already, but this week's plans for disruption far surpassed what had already taken place.
Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin welcomed the talks taking place today.
"Only last week Minister Harney was saying that she sees no possibility of talks resuming. These bullish comments were completely unhelpful. Dialogue is critical for both patients and hospital workers. The resumption of talks and the cancellation of work stoppages by the nurses is a very welcome development," he said.
Mr Ó Caoláin said he hoped the talks would lead to a 35-hour working week and better working conditions for nurses "who work at the frontline of our health services in very difficult circumstances".
Fine Gael spokesperson on health Dr Liam Twomey also welcomed the resumption today, calling it "a positive step which I believe can progress a solution in this dispute."