Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has said his department cannot make any direct commitments in relation to measures being sought by school secretaries and caretakers.
School secretaries and caretakers, who are members of the Fórsa trade union, began indefinite strike action today.
The union said the move is necessary because the workers are being denied access to public sector pensions and other entitlements.
More than 2,600 school secretaries and caretakers are involved and Fórsa said around 2,000 schools will be impacted.
Speaking on Inis Oírr this afternoon, Mr Chambers said it was regrettable that members of Fórsa had embarked on industrial action today.
Acknowledging their "significant contribution" to school communities, he said the Department of Education remained available for further engagement at the WRC in an effort to resolve the dispute.
Mr Chambers said that was the place at which all sides needed to engage, and that he would encourage this course of action.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) yesterday failed to resolve the dispute.
Around three hours of exploratory talks were held, but the WRC concluded that the basis for negotiations was not apparent at this time.
The commission said it will continue to engage in the coming days and remains available to assist the parties.
"We went to the WRC in good faith, but yet again our members have been left with no clarity, or pathway to a fair pension," said Fórsa's Head of Education Andy Pike.
"Our members are beginning this strike today because, despite decades of service, thousands of school secretaries and caretakers still face the prospect of retiring with no pension," Mr Pike said.
As part of the strike action, a rally was held at the Department of Public Expenditure.
The Department of Education instructed schools to open as normal but unions have told their members to support the striking workers by refusing to carry out the duties of secretaries and caretakers.
Some schools have issued updates to parents warning that there will disruptions in areas such as office access, the answering of phone calls and replying to emails.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education and Youth said that it recognises the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities.
"In recent years we have made progress in improving the terms and conditions of school secretaries.
"This has included secretaries being placed on the payroll of the department and linked to any increases in pay under public sector agreements, improved annual leave entitlements, improved maternity provisions and paid sick leave in excess of the statutory requirement."
The department said it will continue to engage with all parties in the coming days, including the WRC, which remains available to assist with the resolution of the dispute.
The department added that it is actively working with its education partners on putting in place contingency arrangements to minimise disruption and support the continuity of learning for all students.
"During this action all schools are expected to open for all students," a spokesperson said.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said the Government stands ready to engage with the WRC.
"Those workers, at the same time, are workers that work directly for particular schools, they are not public servants, directly employed by the State.
"What we want to do is engage with the Workplace Relations Commission, with the industrial relations machinery ... to engage and to look at how this kind of disruption, I hope, can be avoided," he said.
Speaking in Limerick, the minister said that he wanted to recognise and thank the caretakers and school secretaries and the very valuable contribution they make.
"But we have in recent years made many efforts to look at how terms and conditions can be improved in recognition of the contribution that they do make," he added.
Additional reporting Teresa Mannion, Jackie Fox and Pat McGrath
