The Cabinet is understood to have approved the most wide-ranging reform of the health services in 30 years at its weekly meeting today.
However, the plan has already been criticised by Fine Gael and a union representing health workers. Under the plan, the 11 health boards will be abolished in favour of four regional bodies.
It is believed the health plan will take control of the health system away from central Government and local politicians and put it in the hands of a professional Health Services Executive.
A Government spokesman could not confirm what was discussed at the meeting, but it is expected the plan will be outlined in full tomorrow and followed by a Dail debate next week.
The Minister for Health will almost immediately begin to canvass the support of the health professions and unions representing the sector's 96,000 staff.
The IMPACT trade union, which represents over 25,000 health workers, said the proposed reforms would not not bring improved services unless "powerful vested interests" weretackled.
IMPACT official Mr Kevin Callinan said the publication of two major health reports tomorrow would show there had been too much emphasis on the reform of health service structures in the past.
But there had been little action on more important problems, including public funding of private health services, accountability for spending, adequate health service funding and equity in the health services.
"The implementation of recent major reforms, like thecreation of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and Tallaght hospital, were botched because changed was rushed and badly thought-out, and stakeholders were not involved," he said.
Mr Callanan said the Government should revise the health strategy to inject more equity into the system. It should also give a fresh commitment to implementing the health strategy and the various reports on staffing needs, despite the relative downturn in the economy.
The Fine Gael spokeswoman on health, Ms Olivia Mitchell, said the government's proposals were merely changes to a faulty system rather than system changes essential for effective and efficienct healthcare deliver.
"Perhaps the most worrying aspect of these latest proposals is that there is no proposal to confront the immediate crisis," she said.
Ms Mitchell said the proposals would not produce one extra bed, would not appoint one extra consultant and would not grant one extra medical card.