Talks on a new national wage agreement are to resume again tomorrow after adjourning this evening.
All sides said during the day that progress was being made.
However, many key issues, such as the duration of any agreement, are due to be discussed during intensive negotiations tomorrow.
Earlier, unions said cost-cutting proposals at Aer Lingus could have enormous implications for a final outcome.
Employers say the fate of one company should not affect the overall agreement.
The Taoiseach's one-week deadline for bringing an end to the process has now passed, with no agreement reached.
Chairman of the talks Dermot McCarthy circulated the first draft text of part of a new deal last night, having shuttled between employers and unions throughout the day.
However, at around 11.30pm it was decided that the agenda was too complex to be addressed overnight.
ICTU General Secretary David Begg said that some progress had been made and that the momentum of the talks had picked up.
However, no individual issue has been brought to finality.
The parties were due to start meeting again at 2pm this afternoon to consider further draft proposals.
However, the process is not expected to enter its final phase until tomorrow, when Taoiseach Brian Cowen returns from the Fianna Fáil think-in in Galway.
The Irish Bank Officials Association has said it will still be seeking pay rises for its members despite the current international financial conditions.
Speaking on his way into this afternoon's talks at Government buildings, Larry Broderick of the IBOA said Irish banks continue to be stable and profitable.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of ICTU, David Begg, has said there is still a lot of work to be done at the pay talks and he described the situation as fifty-fifty.
He said they would be going through draft documents this afternoon, prepared for them by the Government, and there was still a lot of 'donkey work' yet to be done.
However, he said there was progress being made and he expected the process to continue tomorrow.
