The Health Minister Leo Varadkar has said he hopes to have an outline per-person cost for universal health insurance (UHI) in April.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted that the Government's proposed plans for Universal Health Insurance (UHI) will not mean extra costs for the public.

Cabinet tensions over the costs involved in introducing universal health insurance have added to uncertainty over the flagship government policy.

A health economist says he does not believe the proposed implementation of Universal Health Insurance is workable within the timeframe set out by the Government.