The Taoiseach denied the Government had withheld information on the health services from the House amid heated exchanges with Opposition deputies.

Mr Ahern was responding to demands that he comment on the revelations in The Irish Times that the Department of Health had advised the Cabinet of the need for additional spending on the health services at its recent meeting in Co Louth.

He insisted the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, had comprehensively replied to a private member's motion on health in the House this week.

"The Cabinet meeting last week was held to prepare the first review of the health service in seven years and to make sure we devise a comprehensive strategy for the future.

"We received nine presentations from officials in the Department of Health and Children, and those consulted who work with officials in the Department.

"Some of the data in those presentations were in this morning's newspapers. Most of the issues were raised at the meeting. It excluded the first presentation, which outlined in great detail the improvements in services, resources, the cancer strategy and areas such as mental health and physical and sensory disabilities, halving the cardiac waiting list, and the enormous capital programme which has helped many services, not only hospital services but extended community health services.

"In the limited time I had to check the article, it seems that most of the other issues seem to be addressed. Following on from what the Minister said, the Government is determined to move away from the type of hit-and-miss policy, which has been often the case in the health services in the past.

"That is why we decided to have an in-depth review of the issues which arise out of a series of reports the Minister for Health and Children has commissioned and also to hear about the consultation process which is underpinning the new health strategy.

"There was a complaint in the past that the health strategies were rushed. We will not make the same mistake."

Insisting that the Cabinet had "a positive and constructive discussion," the Taoiseach said that the Government would push forward over the summer to make sure that the most comprehensive and detailed health strategy was launched in the State.

Earlier, the Fine Gael deputy leader, Mr Jim Mitchell, said Ireland had the lowest per capita expenditure on health in the EU. Waiting lists in the two main north Dublin hospitals, Beaumont and the Mater, had risen by 30 per cent since Mr Ahern became Taoiseach.

The Labour deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, said the Taoiseach should explain why the information in the media, which was given to Ministers at the special Cabinet meeting, was withheld from the House during the debate on the Labour private member's motion.

Amid noisy exchanges, the Taoiseach said: "The health service is not in a shambles. A total of 1.2 million out-patients are treated per year, as well as a half-million in-patients and a quarter-million day patients."

As the exchanges continued, Mr Martin intervened to say that at no stage had he leaked any information, or spoken to any journalist, after the Cabinet meeting relating to the documentation presented.

Mr Mitchell asked Mr Ahern if he was not ashamed of the fact that he was prepared to spend billions of pounds on pet projects while totally ignoring the health service.

Mr Ahern said the Government was now spending £5.4 billion on the health service.