The Health Minister Leo Varadkar says plans for Universal Health Insurance by the end of this decade are "too ambitious".

He is pushing back the introduction of the controversial plan, saying the target launch date for the scheme is not feasible.

He says the public needs to know that universal gp and primary care are achievable before the government pushes ahead with UHI. The insurance scheme could cost the taxpayer €5bn a year. 

Former Health Minister James Reilly was adamant that UHI by the end of the decade was a realistic ambition for government, in spite of serious concerns from the departments of Finance and Public Expenditure. Reilly's successor Leo Varadkar now appears to have shelved his plans.

The cost of a standard package under the scheme had been estimated at almost €1,700 - but the State is expected to subsidise that for some, even covering the whole cost of insurance in other cases.

Mr Varadkar has also held back on plans to abolish the Health Service Executive (HSE), saying it will be needed until a new funding model for hospitals is firmed-up.

He says he only has a limited time in the job - and says a major plan like universal health insurance canot be introduced overnight.

And he says the next budget needs to provide more money than the health service currently has:

Originally published 07:14