Taoiseach Brian Cowen has delayed his visit to China by two days in an attempt to deal with the row over medical cards for people over 70. He was due to leave on a five day official visit today.
He said the proposal put forward by the Government in the Budget would not go ahead but appealed for time and space in order to find a solution to the problem before January 1st.
Speaking on RTÉ's
This Weekradio programme this afternoon, Mr Cowen said: "The present proposal as we enunciated it clearly is not ultimately the proposal that will be decided upon because it does not merit or have the wider public acceptance that it would need to have and I'm addressing those concerns and I think that those that have concerns can be assured of that."
"Secondly, can I say that it was never the intention at any time to introduce this before the 1st January so we have time in which to come up with a creative solution which will address this issue to a greater extent than we've been able to do on the basis of the Budget," he said.
However he said any solution "would need to respect the broad parameters and arithmetic of the Budget"
"We've had an automatic entitlement which was introduced in 2001 which has escalated very very considerably in terms of cost and we have to weigh up depleting resources, where you've got fewer resources coming in to the State in terms of exhequer returns, and you have to target those in areas of most need in relation to this scheme and that's what we're trying to do," he said.
He said he believed the Government could find a solution that would address people's concerns and still make the savings.
Mr Cowen also hinted that the decision to introduce a one per cent levy on all incomes, including that of low-paid workers may be revisited.
"The Irish Congress of Trade Unions have spoken to me about that (the levy on low-paid workers) and Government will be considering that on Tuesday morning," he said.
Mr Cowen later met officials from the Irish Medical Organisation to try to restructure the payment scheme to doctors and get a more acceptable outcome that would make savings to the exchequer.
A Government spokesman said: "Certain options will be explored, but it will have to happen within the framework the Government set out."
On Friday night, Mr Cowen appeared on RTÉ's
Nine O'Clock Newsand offered to engage in talks with the medical profession to establish if the Government's plan could be modified.
The move came after backbenchers, together with Green Party and Independent TDs, called for a climbdown on the issue following widespread outrage from members of the public over the decision to introduce means tests, which was announced in Brian Lenihan's Budget last Tuesday.
One Fianna Fáil backbencher, Wicklow TD Joe Behan resigned from the party over the issue on Friday while Independent TD Finian McGrath has threatened to withdraw his support for the Government if it continues with the plan.
Protests have also been held around the country over the issue and Fianna Fáil TDs have been inundated with calls from concerned senior citizens worried about the plan. Fine Gael meanwhile has also piled on the pressure on the Government by tabling a Dáil motion for next week calling for a reversal of the medical card policy.
Speaking this afternoon, Mr Cowen admitted to being upset by the decision of Joe Behan to resign from Fianna Fál over the issue.
"I was disappointed that any member of the party at any level, but particularly a parliamentary member, would take such an irreversible decision without sitting down and having a chat about it and seeing what were our intentions in terms of dealing with it because it has to be said that all of our parliamentary members are taking onboard comments from the public on this issue. No one has a monopoly of concern here," he said.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil county councillors from around the country are meeting at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel in Ballinasloe this afternoon, where they will be debating the controversy. It is expected that a delegation will meet Minister of Finance Brian Lenihan on Tuesday to discuss issues raised at today's meeting.
One Fianna Fáil backbencher speaking on RTÉ radio this morning said that he and a number of his colleagues are working to have the new plan withdrawn and re-examined.
"What is needed at the moment I think is a little humility and also the humanity to say look we got it wrong with this one and we've got to recognise it is causing huge distress and trauma," said Tipperary South TD Mattie McGrath.
Mary O'Rourke, a former Minister for Health, also joined in the debate today saying the Government needed to "re-examine its approach to the medical card controversy".
"The priniciple which was renunciated in the Budget, that should be retained. I think the income threshold level should be looked at and altered," Ms O'Rourke said.