Healthcare professionals rather than insurance firms will remain in charge of decisions on patient treatment under the Government’s plans for universal health insurance, the Minister for Health has said.

In response to the criticisms of the plan detailed in the public consultation process, Leo Varadkar said the Government's overall objective in reforming the health service was to deliver timely access to care for everyone in a more efficient, well-integrated single-tier system.

He said the Government wanted a system that improved all patient outcomes and that worked for everyone.

Mr Varadkar said a major examination of the cost involved in universal health insurance was being carried out by the ESRI and the Health Insurance Authority and that the first results were expected in April.

He said he would bring proposals to Cabinet informed by the results of the costing exercise and feedback from the public consultation process.

The Minister said he was committed to ensuring the development of a vibrant, sustainable private health insurance market. He said he had announced a package of measures last year aimed at encouraging the greater take-up of private health insurance cover in the future.