The Health Minister has launched an attack on Fianna Fáíl over its running of the health service, after being accused of thinking he was a 'David Attenborough' like observer of health service problems in Ireland.

Leo Varadkar says his government will spend more money on the health service next year than either of the opposition parties would.

In a Dáil debate last night he claimed that Fianna Fáil are scared of taking over the health service - and would give the Department away in a coalition.

And he lambasted the record of Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin, who served as health minister over a decade ago.

“They took free GP care away from the over 70s, while the current government has resorted it," he said.

"And of course let’s not forget Micheal Martin’s response to emergency department overcrowding which occurred when he was minister, and it was to complain that the hospitals hadn’t ordered enough trolleys,” he added.

Fianna Fáíl earlier compared Mr Varadkar to David Attenborough for his management of the health service.

Fianna Fáil say he is too much of a commentator - and needs to take direct control of the health service, saying he needs to become the Minister for Health - and stop acting like David Attenborough.

“We’re just trying to ask this government to reprioritise, refocus and make some effort,” said Fianna Fail health spokesperson Billy Kelleher.

“And for the minister to please accept that he is a minister, he is not the David Attenborough of the Irish Health service observing form a distance as they career out of control,” he added.

The Dáil is tonight debating a motion, tabled by Fianna Fáil, which calls for nobody to be left on a hospital trolley for longer than six hours.

Mr Kelleher says the government's fallen well short of the promises it made to voters four years ago. Mr Varadkar “really has to take a hands on approach at this stage, stop the commentary and become a minister,” he said.

“We’ve highlighted six hours as threshold and anything after that does jeopardise the health of the patient, it does put those that are trying to treat patients in emergency departments under inordinate pressure,” Mr Kelleher said.

“Six hours is the benchmark and it is something that is not beyond our ability at this stage to try and address to ensure that patients have good outcomes As opposed to adverse outcomes,” he added.