Attempts to draw up a framework for the toughest social partnership talks yet will continue at a meeting in Dublin today.
There is no chance, however, of the blueprint being ready in time for the opening on Thursday of negotiations on a new social partnership agreement.
Production of the outline plan by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) is a critical first step in the social partnership process. The NESC report advises the Government on key economic and social justice issues, and is used as the basis for each round of social partnership talks.
Representatives of the Government and the social partners make up the council's membership.
Several council sources said yesterday that their failure to agree a framework plan in time for Thursday is not indicative of the difficulties that lie ahead.
They blamed the workload in producing a report of up to 700 pages and said there were no sticking points to prevent the document being completed.
Today's meeting of the council will focus on finalising the conclusions and recommendations chapter of the report, with a view to having that completed by next week at the latest.
This chapter would then be available to the social partners when negotiations begin in earnest, probably next Tuesday.
The talks are to formally begin on Thursday in a plenary session of the current Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, which expires shortly.
All sides agree that the deteriorating state of the Exchequer finances, which limits the Government's ability to offer tax cuts in return for wage restraint, will make an agreement difficult to achieve.
