FF: Abandonment of Universal Health Insurance 'a resigning matter'

The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin says Government moves to abandon its policy on Universal Health Insurance "are a resigning matter".

But Mr Martin says there is no point demanding that Leo Varadkar step down because an election is now so close.

The Health Minister has been briefing his Cabinet colleagues on reports which put the potential cost of the scheme at €650m.

Mr Martin says both Mr Varadkar and the Taoiseach Enda Kenny should resign if they are abandoning their major health policy.

The Fianna Fáil leader said: "It is a resigning matter and we would like the electorate to take the matter into their own hands.

"The bottom line is that we are now in an election situation.

"It's a disaster, it's an appalling indictment of Government policy, but it's an irrelevant question in some respects, the election is coming upon us."