The Government was accused by the Labour spokeswoman on health, Ms Liz McManus, of causing "serious and growing" damage to hospital services.

"Patient care is now suffering an unprecedented assault from the Government," she added. "This year is going to see reduced hospital activity while demand is actually growing for hospital treatments.

"Waiting lists are not being reduced and even seriously ill cancer patients are being forced to wait up to four months for treatment."

Ms McManus said that the Mater Hospital had already announced the closure of 115 beds and would be forced to reduce patient admissions by 3,200 this year.

Planned activity in St Vincent's Hospital would be reduced by 20 per cent this year, while University College Hospital Galway would be forced to reduce activity by 7,500 fewer treatments.

St James's hospital, meanwhile, was facing a shortfall of €20 million, while Beaumont was threatening to reduce treatment for cancer and dialysis patients.

She claimed that a new anomaly had been introduced into the health service.

"The Minister is now funding private hospitals in Ireland and in Britain under the treatment purchase fund for patients who generally speaking are less in need but who are waiting a long time while more serious but shorter-term patients are left waiting because of cutbacks in public hospitals. Now the closed wards in public hospitals will be used for less urgent cases under this fund," she added.

The Minister of State for Health, Mr Ivor Callely, said that even in the prevailing economic climate, the health services had once again received the highest increase in funding across all Government departments, a clear indication of the Government's commitment to maintaining the quantum and quality of services in difficult circumstances.

He added that the Eastern Regional Health Authority had a total of €1.154 billion available to purchase acute hospital services this year.

This included additional funding of €9.450 million to support the consolidation of acute hospital services and agreed and funded in recent years.

Earlier, on the Order of Business, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, sought an emergency debate on the health services.

He added that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, should be in the House for the debate.