Unions and employers are making slow progress in talks on a new national partnership agreement, but there is no immediate prospect of an overall deal.
The parties remain in intensive negotiations on measures to combat the exploitation of workers and the displacement of jobs.
Agreement in principle has been reached on a number of key issues, but finding a legislative framework acceptable to both sides has proved extremely difficult.
Negotiators attended several marathon sessions at Government Buildings over the past week, including a meeting on Saturday that began at 10am and continued until 3am on Sunday. Talks are scheduled to resume this afternoon.
The main focus continues to be on union demands for legislation to prevent the emergence of what is termed an "Irish Ferries-on-land" situation.
Irish Ferries sparked an industrial relations crisis last year when it moved to replace its seafarers with migrant workers on much lower rates of pay, although a deal was eventually reached with Siptu.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is seeking legislation that would deter employers from making staff redundant for the purpose of replacing them with cheaper labour.
Employer bodies Ibec and the Construction Industry Federation have indicated that they also have no wish to see this type of scenario unfolding.
They insist, however, that any new legislation must not hinder employers from implementing cost-reduction measures such as outsourcing or other types of restructuring.
The challenge facing negotiators has been to agree a legislative framework that would provide the protection sought by unions without introducing rigidities that would be unacceptable to employers.
To that end, the difficulties in the talks in recent days have been to do with technicalities rather than principle, a source said yesterday.
It is understood, however, that significant progress was made over the weekend and there are now increasing hopes of agreement on the labour standards issue.
One idea being examined is that a three-person panel, with union and employer representation and an independent chair, would be established to examine disputes involving collective redundancies.
The panel could refer cases to the Labour Court which would be asked to deliver an opinion on whether redundancies were within criteria specified by legislation.
There would also be a role at a later stage in the process, if necessary, for the Employment Appeals Tribunal, which could impose binding decisions.
Sources were unwilling to predict yesterday on when a deal on the redundancies issue might be achieved.
Even if an agreement on labour standards is arrived at, difficult negotiations on other issues such as pay increases would then be only beginning.
The talks on a successor to Sustaining Progress began in early February, already several months behind schedule as a result of the fall-out from the Irish Ferries dispute.
