Health debate: Labour used a slot on live television to deride the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, over his denial that the health service was in crisis.
In addition, the party pledged to hold a referendum to enshrine the rights of people with disabilities in the Constitution, giving them redress to the courts if they feel their rights are being infringed.
The party's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, claimed Mr Martin was incapable of delivering reform and said the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was not committed to creating a better health service.
"Taoiseach, when you promised us a world-class health service, we didn't know then that what you meant was a Third World class of health service. But we know it now," said Ms McManus.
"The evidence is everywhere - hospital wards closed, new facilities left idle, staff numbers slashed, drug budgets cut, equipment unreplaced and hundreds of public health doctors out on the picket. The deterioration in health is both shocking and inexplicable to the general public."
Ms McManus said there was an urgent need to reform the health service but no clarity about the Government's plans. The health strategy published by the Government before the election last year had gone to dust, she said.
"To create a world-class health service we need political leadership and a clear-sighted vision. Instead, we have a Minister for Health who tells us yet again that there is no crisis." The conference adopted motions calling for universal GP care and a legally-binding guarantee to ensure equal access to treatment for all patients on the basis of need.
Ms McManus said: "We will not tolerate for a minute longer than is necessary the concept so deeply entrenched in the current health service that the life and health of a public patient is somehow less valuable than that of a private patient."
Mr Denis Mackin, from Tallaght, who spoke in support of the motions, said: "This is a real crisis about real people who need real doctors to care for them."
He suggested there were three tiers in the health service. Public patients may have to wait two years for treatment; those with insurance might have to wait two months; while in private clinics "they'd even operate on you before you get sick".
Efforts by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, to control health expenditure were also criticised. "The more time he spends on the golf course and the less in the Cabinet, the better for all of us," said Mr Diarmaid de Paor from Bray, Co Wicklow.
The Kerry TD Ms Breeda Moynihan-Cronin said the Government had failed people with disability during the boom. "Now as the Celtic Tiger enters its death throes, people with disabilities are being asked to wait again by Fianna Fáil and the PDs," she said. Ms Moynihan-Cronin said €35 million was required to fund services for people with disabilities. She said that €35 million was half of the cost of the new Government jet.