Limited progress was reported after a second day of talks aimed at resolving the public health doctors' dispute yesterday. The talks, at the Labour Relations Commission, will resume this afternoon.
The dispute involving the State's 270 public health doctors revolves around pay and conditions. It is now in its eighth week.
The doctors work to control the spread of infectious diseases such as measles, meningitis and TB, and their absence has resulted in thousands of children not being vaccinated.
Mr Fintan Hourihan, director of industrial relations with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), confirmed the IMO put forward a 60-page document on how it felt the dispute should be resolved at yesterday's talks.
He said the initial response from the employers' side had not been satisfactory. However, the Health Service Employers' Agency agreed to consider the document overnight.
"Overall, very very limited progress was made. There are still significant differences between us," he said.
Mr Gerard Barry, chief executive of the HSEA, said the talks were "difficult enough".
"We did not make very much progress," he said.
It is understood the major stumbling block is the IMO's claim for pay parity with hospital consultants for the most senior public health doctors.