Talks aimed at resolving the long running pay dispute in the community and voluntary sector have been adjourned at the request of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) until Friday morning.
Negotiations began this morning involving unions and Government representatives.
"At the talks today some progress was made however there are a number of outstanding issues that remain to be resolved," according to a statement from the ICTU Group of Unions which includes the INMO, SIPTU and Fórsa.
Unions have accused the Government of failing to honour an agreement struck in October 2023.
That deal pledged to restore a link to pay in the public sector.
Among the workers impacted are staff at Section 39 organisations - privately owned charities and agencies that are contracted by the State to provide healthcare services.
Last week, healthcare workers in Section 39 organisations, who are members of SIPTU, voted overwhelmingly for strike action as part of the dispute.
The Department of Children, Equality and Disability said the Programme for Government commits to "working with the voluntary sector to progress pay issues that affect the delivery of disability services and the long-term viability of organisations within the sector".
A spokesperson said community and voluntary health and social care workers are "the backbone of many essential services, and the State depends on them to deliver essential support to people across the country every day".
In a statement, the department added that all staff in these sectors should be "fairly paid and appropriately recognised for the difficult work they do".
"The Government's priority is clear: To protect these vital services for those who rely on them while ensuring sustainable employment for the dedicated workers who provide quality supports and services," the spokesperson added.
The statement also said Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley and Minister of State with responsibility for Disability Hildegarde Naughton "will continue to work with all parties to provide certainty to this sector in the collective interests of workers and service users".
