Tuesday 05 August 2014 16.27 Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said he does not want to set a timeline for the introduction of Universal Health Insurance.
Mr Varadkar said that UHI might take a bit longer than the originally planned date of 2019.
However, he said he believed it would be in place in the next term if the Government is re-elected.
Mr Varadkar said that when it comes in the economy will be recovering and there will be more buoyancy in taxation.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Sean O'Rourke, the minister said UHI was still the vision, but he wanted to get it right, and the first step would be a single-tiered system for primary care.
He also said the Health Service Executive will be over budget by between €450 and €500m this year.
Minister Varadkar said the health cuts last year were proven to have been unrealistic and the "fiscal hawks" who had wanted savings did not get them.
He said the health budget was held flat during the three-year term of his predecessor James Reilly.
Minister Varadkar said he would be seeking a budget for 2015 to maintain services at existing levels and would also be looking for funding to allow for some developments.
Mr Reilly had previously defended the Government's plans and denied that it would lead to another version of the two-tier system.
The Government published a White Paper on UHI in April.
It said access to the health service will be based on need and not the ability to pay.
Mr Reilly said then that the aim of UHI was to end the existing unfair, unequal and inefficient two-tier health system.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, the General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) welcomed Minister Varadkar's vow to tackle the low morale among staff in the health service.
Liam Doran said the INMO welcomed the shelving of UHI in terms of a competitive private model.
Mr Doran said that the first thing the minister should tackle is the recruitment embargo "which is crippling the nursing and midwifery workforce".
His comments were echoed by the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP).
ICGP Chair of Communications Dr Darach Ó Ciardha said: "There is a growing manpower crisis in General Practice with new graduates and established GPs emigrating or retiring as a result of uncertainty about their future.
"It is essential to take the manpower issue into account when addressing the related issues of UHI and free GP care."
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Sinn Féin health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin also said the UHI scheme needs to be scrapped and not delayed.
Fianna Fáil health spokesperson Billy Kelleher said his party has serious concerns about the UHI proposals.
He said his party is also calling for the minister to scrap the plans.
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