Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted there will be no change in the rules governing the allocation of medical cards.

He said the Government had been very clear on the issue.

“There will be no changes to income limits, no change in guidelines and, therefore, zero cuts in medical card numbers,” he said.

Mr Kenny told the Dáil the Government stood for more jobs that paid, less tax on people and the "abolition of the hated universal social charge brought in by the Fianna Fáil government that drove this country on the rocks".

The Taoiseach was replying to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, who said he understood Minister for Health Leo Varadkar had gone to the Cabinet on Tuesday to propose the Health Service Executive's spending plan for 2016.

“From what we know about his proposals, our health services will continue to be underfunded,” he said.

Mr Adams said "one of the big ideas" proposed by Mr Varadkar was based on the assumption that 125,000 medical cards would not be required next year. The Cabinet had not considered there were deserving citizens and a family behind every medical card.

No vision

Mr Adams accused the Government of having “no plan, no vision, no money”. He said people were sick and tired of Mr Kenny’s “spoofing about all of this because they know the reality of what is happening in our health services”.

Mr Kenny criticised Sinn Féin policies.

“Just like the boys and ladies on the Fianna Fáil and Independent benches, there will be higher taxes, fewer jobs, less investment and less disposable income,” he said.

He said the health service plan was costing almost €13 billion, which was €800 million more than last year.