A streamlined national agreement focusing on priority areas has been proposed by the Government in talks with the social partners.
Community and voluntary groups, however, are extremely unhappy about the lack of specific commitments to address poverty and social inclusion.
The Community Platform, which represents 26 organisations in the partnership talks, has called a press conference for today to outline its concerns.
Farm organisations are also dissatisfied with what they see as the failure to address the income crisis in that sector. Parallel talks, meanwhile, were continuing late last night on implementation of the benchmarking pay awards.
Public sector unions are required to sign up to a programme of modernisation and change before the increases, averaging 8.9 per cent, recommended by the benchmarking body are paid in full.
A number of key issues, including new recruitment and promotion procedures for the Civil Service and a proposal that parent-teacher meetings be held outside school hours, remained outstanding after a day of negotiations.
Agreement was reached, however, between the Government and public sector unions on the verification procedures to ensure an agreement is implemented.
On the wider partnership agreement, Government officials presented a document suggesting a small number of key areas which a streamlined partnership agreement could address.
It outlined nine areas that could be covered by a new programme: housing, insurance, migration, unemployment, literacy and numeracy, waste management, care, health and "eInclusion".
Mr Brendan Butler of the employers' body, IBEC, said the business community would welcome the new approach. However, Ms Frances Byrne of the Community Platform said there was "nothing on the table" to improve the lives of those living in poverty.
