The Dáil has voted confidence in Minister for Health James Reilly by a two to one majority.
However, Opposition parties said Minister of State Roisin Shortall had used her speech in the debate to highlight the failings of Minister Reilly, the HSE and the Department of Health.
The Government won the initial vote by 99 to 49 and the second by 99 to 50.
Voting with the Opposition were three former Government supporters who have lost their party whips, Patrick Nulty, Tommy Broughan and Denis Naughton.
But nobody else in Fine Gael or Labour broke ranks, with Ms Shortall voting confidence in the minister.
In her four-minute speech, she did not mention his name once and she warned that unless there was substantial reform in the health system, there will be cuts and the poor will suffer most.
She said progress on legislation to introduce free GP care was "very disappointing" and said funding must be restored to this area.
Fianna Fáil's Billy Kelleher called her speech an open letter to Minister Reilly, highlighting his failings, and the failings of the HSE and the Department of Health
Mr Kelleher added that her failure to say she had confidence in Mr Reilly indicated dysfunction in the Government.
