The issues surrounding respite care by the Brothers of Charity can and will be resolved, according to Health Minister Mary Harney.
She said while there was no extra money available from her department this year, the Brothers were already in receipt of a 'big budget'.
Mary Harney said respite care had to be provided within their current budget.
The Minister said that having met with the brothers yesterday and having asked them to 'look again' at their decision, she had been assured they would do so.
She added: 'If people cannot provide these services, we will have to look at others who can.'
Separately, Ms Harney said she is fully committed to press ahead with the dedicated unit for Cystic Fibrosis patients at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin.
In the Dáil last night, Ms Harney said there have been problems with the project recently and that these came about as a result of prevailing problems in the construction sector.
She said services for patients with Cystic Fibrosis have been greatly enhanced in recent years.
She said there are now 1,159 people with CF in the country. 48% of those are children.
Fine Gael's Health Spokesman James Reilly criticised the delay, saying the only people to suffer were patients.
Meanwhile, Tallaght Hospital has confirmed that its CEO-designate Professor Kevin Conlon will not now be taking up the CEO position.
Professor Conlon has told the hospital's board that he wants to return to private practice instead.
He will stay on at the hospital as its medical director.
The hospital says it regrets Professor Conlon's decision and will look for a new CEO as soon as possible.
Professor Conlon had been appointed to the position in the wake of the scans controversy when the previous CEO, Michael Lyons, resigned.
