The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has welcomed a decision by 40,000 nurses and midwives to defer a planned work-to-rule that was due to begin on Monday.
The Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association have agreed to enter three weeks of talks with health service employers but say if no progress is made, they will continue their planned work stoppages.
Mr Ahern said every effort will be made to find a resolution to the issues of pay and benchmarking.
Fresh talks are to begin between the two nursing unions involved and Health Service employers on the nurses' claims for a 10% pay increase, a 35-hour week and a special allowance for working in Dublin.
A joint statement issued by the Government and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions said: 'It has been agreed to put in place an intensive time-bound process of engagement, under the aegis of the National Implementation Body, to address the issues underpinning the current nurses dispute, taking account of the relevant Labour Court recommendations.'
The process, involving senior representatives of both sides, will commence on 12 March and end no later than 30 March.
Nurses and midwives were due to stage a lunchtime protest today at the Mater Hospital in Dublin, as part of their campaign for improved pay and conditions.
