The number of people with health insurance is set to drop below 2 million for the first time in a decade as almost 4,000 people a month abandoned their health cover between April and June.

Aviva Healthcare has this evening welcomed the European Commission's demand that Ireland abolish the unlimited state guarantee currently enjoyed by the VHI.

A significant jobs announcement will be made later by a new health insurer coming into the market.

From today, public cancer patients in the south will be able to use a €3.8m PET/CT scanner at Cork University Hospital — but private patients will still be forced to travel to Dublin, Galway, or Waterford.