A lobby group for Irish patients has said the planned reforms of the healthcare system due to be published by the Government must involve more than cosmetic change.
Mr Stephen McMahon, chairman of the Irish Patients' Association, said the main concern was that sufficient funding was made available for healthcare and for the acute services in the transition phase of the reforms.
He said his group would "hold its breath" until the full details of the major health plan are published later this week.
"It's fine to talk about what's happening down the road. But all of this depends on the political will to make the change happen. There is a window of opportunity there for the political institutions to make decisions that will be to the benefit of all patients," Mr McMahon said.
Mr McMahon said this included patients in all sectors, including those in acute care, those in the mental health area and those who are being cared for in the community.
He insisted any changes to the structure of the system must also harness new management-information systems and computer technology and address any skills deficits.
"It's not just a question of reducing the number of health boards from 11 to four and having the same type of operation. It's going to have to change radically so we can get synergies of efficiency. That's going to be very complex".
The Cabinet will discuss the plans for reform tomorrow, following months of tension over funding and criticism from opposition parties over the health system. The full plan will be published later in the week if it is approved.
It is believed a new National Health Services Executive will take over the day-to-day running of the health service and that the 11 health boards will be abolished in favour of four regional authorities. Local politicians will no longer serve on health boards under the plan, it is understood.