Plans for Universal Health Insurance have been shelved until at least the year 2021, after the government admitted its current plans would be too expensive.

Leo Varadkar says other reforms to the healthcare system - such as the abolition of the HSE - will need to be implemented first.

Minister Varadkar was commenting on research from the ESRI, published this morning, which shows one model of universal health insurance could cost up to 2,500 euro for adults - while also costing the state up to 2 billion euro.

He says other reforms to the health service, like disbanding the HSE and extending free GP care, will have to happen first:

He says the government IS still committed to universal health *care*, and that universal insurance IS their way of trying to pay for it.

But it would take this government 3 terms to introduce it - meaning it won’t happen now until at least the year 2021.