Taoiseach Michael Martin has welcomed the "tone and disposition" of the trade union leaders after the head of Forsá had indicated that a resolution to the dispute could be on the cards.
When asked if the situation had improved since yesterday, Mr Martin said: "I'd like to think that without overstating it and I understand fully the pressures people are on, the pressures public servants are on and workers are on, so we're focused on trying to get a process going that can lead to a satisfactory outcome in terms of a new National Pay Agreement".
While speaking in Irish, the Taoiseach insisted that the Government feel there is an opportunity after today for an agreement to be reached with trade unions and that pay will be the priority at the beginning of the negotiations.
Following this, Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald called on the Taoiseach to "pick up the phone" and step in on this ongoing sector pay deal row.
Ms McDonald said this while standing outside Leinster House where hundreds of people where protesting. Here she accused the Government of playing a "terrible and disrespectful game of chicken" with 300,000 public workers.
"I think the very fact that this has come to industrial reaction action is a reflection of the failure of Government.
She continued: "It beggars belief that they have known now for months that they need to engage and negotiate a new pay agreement, and they have failed to do that.
"I think they have played a really terrible and disrespectful game of chicken with 300,000 workers that we all rely on", she added.
"We rely on them to take care of us when we're sick. They educate our children. They run our services, and indeed, they run the building and the system behind us that we serve in here as elected representatives of the people, so I think you can feel the really strong sense of public support for all of the workers".
She stated that the onus is on the Government to intervene on this, adding: "The phone needs to be lifted".
(All quotes in this piece according to RTÉ).
