Negotiations on a new national partnership deal moved a step closer yesterday after union leaders had a "positive" meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Further discussions are to take place with Government officials over the coming days before it becomes clear whether unions are prepared to enter talks on a successor to Sustaining Progress.
However, it is now increasingly likely that formal negotiations on a new agreement will begin later this month or early February.
Unions have delayed participation in talks because of concerns over exploitation of migrant workers and the displacement of jobs.
Mr Ahern told union leaders at yesterday's meeting that the Government was committed to addressing those issues in a new round of partnership talks.
Irish Congress of Trade Unions general secretary David Begg said the Taoiseach had given "quite strong assurances of his intention to try to hammer out an agreement".
A Government spokesman echoed Mr Begg's description of the meeting as "positive", and said Mr Ahern had subsequently briefed his Cabinet colleagues to that effect.
Crucially, Siptu president Jack O'Connor also gave an upbeat assessment of the meeting.
"It cleared the air and we're satisfied that the Taoiseach certainly has a clear understanding of what needs to be done.
"We left with the view that there was a strong desire [on Mr Ahern's part] to address the issues that we have been highlighting for the past two years."
Whether the Government was prepared to go "as far as we believe needs to be travelled" to meet the unions' concerns was something that could only be teased out in negotiations.
As the State's biggest union, Siptu's stance is likely to be critical in determining whether the trade union movement as a whole enters formal negotiations on an agreement.
It must reconvene a special delegate conference, likely to take place towards the end of this month, before a final decision is taken on entering talks.
The focus over the next couple of days will be on agreeing a structure for possible negotiations.
Unions want exploitation and job displacement to be addressed separately at the outset of negotiations before the talks move on to other issues such as pay rates for the next three years.
If a structure along those lines is agreed, Siptu's national executive council could meet next week to fix a date for a reconvened special conference.
