Fianna Fáil has come out against any proposals to dismantle the HSE, after leaked sections of the programme for government suggested it could be replaced with a new health commission.

The party's health spokesperson, Billy Kelleher, said in an interview with Newstalk that breaking up the health service was not the way to fix its problems.

"[It] is missing the point. What we need is investment," he said.

Other opposition parties have also hit out at the proposed arrangement, with Social Democrats TD Róisín Shorthall saying the HSE should be reformed rather than dismantled.

The Irish Times reported today that hospitals will be managed by statutory trusts, which will own their assets and oversee staff recruitment, under the terms of the agreement.

It is understood that the trusts will have to set out annual, funding-linked performance targets for waiting times, out-patients and emergency department attendances.

The new programme for government is expected to be published this week.