Free health insurance for all children up to the age of 16 is a key element in the joint health policy published yesterday by Fine Gael and Labour in the run-up to the election, which also pledges free GP care for all children up to the age of five.
The two parties have also committed themselves to providing an extra 2,300 hospital beds and medical card cover for 40 per cent of the population in a package of reforms that will cost €1.1 billion.
The joint policy document also includes the provision of 1,500 extra consultants and the scrapping of plans by Minister for Health Mary Harney to build private hospitals on public land alongside public hospitals.
At the policy launch Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that despite massive spending increases over the past 10 years the Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats Government had "failed spectacularly" to provide an adequate health service.
"Waiting has become the word which our people now associate with the health service. It is time for the waiting to stop. Fine Gael and Labour are committed to building the health service that the Irish people deserve," said Mr Kenny.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte condemned the Government for locking themselves into a policy of providing tax incentives to developers to build private clinics on the grounds of public hospitals.
Mr Rabbitte described the policy as deeply flawed and expensive.
"Labour and Fine Gael will scrap the Harney plan which has limited support across the political spectrum and among health service providers.
"The Government has no mandate for this course of action and it would be morally indefensible for Minister Harney to allow contracts to be signed for the disposal of public lands for private hospitals this close to a general election," said Mr Rabbitte.
Asked if he was prepared to support Ms Harney in her current dispute with the hospital consultants, Mr Rabbitte said: "The question is not whether Labour and Fine Gael will support the Minister, the question is whether the Taoiseach and the Fianna Fáil Ministers will do so.
"If it is not just a stunt on the eve of the election the Minister should get on with it."
He said that ultimately, the solution to providing a better and fairer health service was for the principle that "the money follows the patient" to apply across the health service.
Both Labour and Fine Gael were committed to moving to a system of universal health insurance but this would take time because of the critical state of the health service.
Fine Gael health spokesman Liam Twomey said that over the lifetime of a Fine Gael-Labour government free health insurance cover for all children and adolescents up to age of 16 years would be introduced, with free GP care for all children up to the age of five.
"Fine Gael and Labour believe that the foundation for a healthy Irish population is an effective and comprehensive health service for all our children and adolescents," he said.
Labour's deputy leader and health spokeswoman Liz McManus promised they would extend medical card coverage to 40 per cent of the population, increasing income thresholds for qualification, and enhancing the weighting for children in assessing medical card eligibility.
"In relation to hospital care we will appoint an additional 1,500 new consultants with a corresponding reduction in the number of junior doctors.
"This will help to facilitate a consultant provided, as opposed to consultant led service."
