There has been a furious reaction to the Taoiseach's decision to scrap a General Election commitment to grant 200,000 extra medical cards under the National Health Strategy.
Fine Gael and Labour say the move targets the poorest in society and is a further example of how the outgoing Government bought the General Election with "lies".
Ahead of the publication of the Book of Estimates tomorrow the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, warned that the public finances would not stretch to increasing health provision next year.
"I think the resources that are required for health are going to be required for continuing treatments, continuing operations and continuing healthcare and primary care," he said.
Ms Liz McManus, Labour spokesperson on health said the decision shows that low-income families are not a priority for Fianna Fáil.
"The Government secured votes in the general election on the basis of manifesto promises like this. As we now know, that election campaign was a daily litany of lies and deceit. We also now know that the poor, the sick, and the disadvantaged are to foot the bill to pay for that campaign and the elaborate stunt that was the launch of the health strategy," she said.
Fine Gael's health spokesperson Ms Olivia Mitchell picked up on the theme, saying not only was the broken Election promise an attack on those on low incomes, but was also "counterproductive".
She said: "access to primary care ... can save thousands of euro in hospital costs".
She also said the move would compound problems created by recent increases in casualty and prescription charges.
"In fact it is not just that eligibility is not being expanded. All around the country medical cards are being withdrawn, at a time when the Government itself is increasing charges for health care and medicines," she said.
GPs also expressed their concern today. Dr James Reilly, chairman of the Irish Medical Organisation's national General Practitioner's committee said the move showed the National Health Strategy was failing to deliver to society's most vulnerable.
"We are extremely disappointed. In fact many doctors will be outraged because a commitment was given to extend the scheme by increasing the income limits for eligibility for a medical card as part of the over 70's deal and again in the National Health Strategy."
The Taoiseach and outgoing Minister for Health Mr Martin made the extension of the medical card scheme a central plank of their Election campaigning on health issues.
In a question and answer session on the ireland.comElection site, Mr Ahern said: "Fianna Fail's policy is to provide an additional 200,000 medical cards for people in need and to target them to families with children, and particularly those families who have high costs arising from children's illnesses."