Discussions on the new national pay deal are continuing this afternoon as sides resume their talks at Government buildings in Dublin.
Employers, unions and the Government are hoping to agree pay rates to cover the remaining 18 months of the Sustaining Progress partnership programme.
With little sign of an agreement in sight the sides are concerned that if a deal cannot be reached by tomorrow, the talks might have to be postponed for the summer. Union leaders are reluctant to hold the talks over the holiday season, given that any agreement has to be voted by members.
The Taoiseach, who leaves for an EU summit in Brussels tomorrow, would probably be required to oversee the conclusion of any new deal.
Neither side has as yet revealed what level of pay increase it would be prepared to accept under a new agreement.
The talks are being chaired by talks chairman Mr Dermot McCarthy, the secretary-general of the Department of the Taoiseach.