The Fórsa trade union has declined an invitation to return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) for talks to resolve the school secretaries and caretakers dispute.
The union said it was unable to accept the invitation because the Government would not confirm that the talks would be about when and how secretaries and caretakers could be integrated into the public service pension scheme.
Fórsa said that entering a formal WRC process would in all likelihood require the strike action to be stood down prior to the talks commencing but said there "remains an absence of trust sufficient to suspend the indefinite strike action currently in place" without an assurance on pensions.
"In the interests of bringing the dispute to a conclusion, we would be willing to attend further exploratory discussions with the WRC and Government representatives to ascertain if there is the basis now to proceed to formal negotiations, this would not require us to stand down the industrial action but would be an important step in building trust between both sides," said Fórsa's Head of Education Andy Pike.
"We welcome this intervention, it is a positive sign. It is the first engagement since 27 August, the day before the strike, that they are interested in talking to Fórsa and our members,
"Whilst there was not sufficient progress this evening to enter formal talks and stand down the action, we will be available for further exploratory talks without preconditions in order to establish if there is a basis to proceed further," Mr Pike said.
Watch: Minister calls for strike talks 'without preconditions'
Minister for Education Helen McEntee has called for talks "without preconditions" with the Fórsa trade union in a bid to end the ongoing strike by school secretaries and caretakers.
Ms McEntee said that she wants to see the issue resolved as soon as possible.
She said: "It is unfortunate that we were not able to make progress through the WRC last week, but I have been engaging intensively with my colleague Minister (Jack) Chambers and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform since then, to try to get us to a point where we can make progress.
"We met again today, and Government is here and ready to engage with Fórsa without any preconditions.
"I believe both sides need to come together without any preconditions to make progress on this. I also believe that our industrial relations mechanisms are the best way to make progress and I want to see it happen as soon as possible."
Ms McEntee also said that she wanted to stress how invaluable school secretaries and caretakers are.
INTO will back Fórse in event of industrial action
Earlier, INTO General-Secretary John Boyle said if Fórsa decides to escalate the industrial action his union "will be fully behind them, because we think it's unconscionable that this group of workers have been treated so shabbily for so long by Government".
Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Boyle said the INTO executive has made "strong commitments" to Fórsa that the union intends to support it "in every way" possible.
He said teachers themselves do not have a dispute with the Government over their pay and pensions and he does not envisage that teacher unions will be balloting their members for industrial action, but they are "steadfastly behind" the secretaries and caretakers "because they are glue that holds schools together".
Around 2,600 school secretaries and caretakers began indefinite strike action last Thursday demanding access to public sector pensions and other entitlements.
Exploratory talks at the Workplace Relations Commission last week failed to avert the strike action.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee has previously said that her department is willing and ready to meet with Fórsa at the WRC to resolve the dispute.
The Department of Education has 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.
Dublin school closed due to strike action
A primary school in Dublin is closed today as a result of the school secretary and caretakers' strike.
St Joseph's in Fairview made the decision after its 13 SNAs informed it that they would no longer pass the picket that has been placed outside the school entrance by its secretary and caretaker.
The SNAs say they are acting "out of solidarity", after "a difficult week" of watching the strike unfold, and seeing no sign of any resolution.
"We are not on strike. We are just not passing the picket line," SNA Ian O'Beirne said.
"We go into school every day and preach equality and inclusion and community and fairness, and it would be hypocritical for everything we tell the children each day to continue to leave these people outside," he added.
St Joseph’s or 'Joey’s’ as it is known locally has an enrollment of 115 students.
Parents were informed yesterday evening that the school would not open today.
The SNAs say they will not pass the picket line tomorrow either.
They risk losing pay for each day that they take this action, as they are not officially involved in the dispute.
Department and Fórsa urged to resume talks
The director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals has urged the Department of Education and Fórsa to resume talks to end the strike action.
Paul Crone said he has confidence that both sides want to bring the action to an end and said it is important that it happens sooner rather than later because the situation cannot continue.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Crone said: "I would urge the department and Fórsa to get into discussions. This will only be resolved through dialogue and the longer it goes on, the longer relations will be strained. So for everybody's sake, they need to start that dialogue."
Mr Crone said secretaries and caretakers are the heart of the school and principals want to support their claims.
He said affected schools are struggling to try and maintain business as usual.
"One principal told me he spent most of the morning signing in students that arrived late. He spent most of the afternoon dealing with students that were sick and contacting parents to get them home. And you just can't leave the students to their own devices."
Mr Crone also referred to: "The build up of rubbish that's around the school, the class materials that are not being ordered, the cleaning materials that are not being ordered, the suppliers that are not being paid."
Conflict causing 'serious stress'
The conflict is causing serious stress, he said, as principals and deputy principals are being asked to do the jobs of potentially up to five other people while their priority is to maintain relationships with their colleagues who work as secretaries and caretakers.
"The principal cannot do their job without the caretaker and the secretary, and they want to be very supportive of their staff. They want to support the claim.
"They want to make sure that when they come back to work, that they can still have that positive working relationship. I think it's just completely unfair that principals and deputies are being put in that position," added Mr Crone.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said it is extraordinary that the Government has not intervened in the strike.
Also speaking on Morning Ireland, Ms Bacik urged the Government to intervene and get the Labour Court involved in the dispute.
