Tánaiste Mary Harney has ruled out the involvement of the Progressive Democrats in any government that relied on Sinn Féin support in any form.
The PD leader again reiterated that her party was open to forming a coalition government with parties other than Fianna Fáil, and said any decision would be based on ensuring her party's policies continued.
"We're not going locked into a coalition deal in advance of the next election with anybody, but we've had an extraordinary successful coalition with Bertie Ahern and Fianna Fáil for the past eight years."
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has already ruled out coalition with Sinn Féin following the next general election but it has been suggested by commentators that this does not exclude a Fianna Fáil-led minority government reliant on the abstention or votes of Sinn Féin to elect a Taoiseach.
Asked on RTÉ's Week in Politics programme about such a scenario, she said: "I would not be in a government that relied for one single occasion on support from Sinn Féin and that is the position of the Progressive Democrats."
Ms Harney also defended her record as Minister for Health and said her reforms were beginning to show results. "We've been working extraordinarily hard. The reform plan is working. It's not just about extra money. It's about changing business and innovation."
Ms Harney also defended the Government's policy of encouraging private hospitals to be established in the grounds of public hospitals, as a measure to take private beds out of the public system.