The Minister for Health has rejected Labour Party claims on the poor state of the health services and said there are no "quick fixes" to bring about change.
Labour today accused the government of lying to the public in pre-election promises and in its National Health Strategy and listed what it claimed were broken promises on health.
"The health service is now treating more people than ever before - 180,000 more people were treated in 2002 than in 1997," Mr Martin said.
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"The quality of health care is far better today than ever before, particularly in key areas like heart disease, cancer care and other specialities".
He said waiting lists in key areas such as cardiac surgery and gynaecology are "dramatically down" and that waiting times are being significantly reduced.
The Labour Party's election manifesto in health was "un-costed, lacked specifics and the party itself knew it could not be implemented in the lifetime of any government," according to Mr Martin.
The Minister said the Government was committed to "early and decisive action" on the reform agenda and that a number of reports, which Labour accused the Government of hiding, would be published shortly.
Mr Martin emphasised the "enormity" of the task ahead and said there were no "quick fixes" for the kinds of changes the Government envisaged.