FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny has announced that one of his predecessors, Alan Dukes, is to chair a party policy commission on transforming public services.
The commission's first task will be to prepare a series of policy options on the provision of universal healthcare. Mr Dukes was Fine Gael leader from 1987 to 1990 and held several ministerial portfolios, including Finance, Justice, Agriculture and Transport, Energy and Communications.
Other commission members are: Dr John Barton, hospital physician; Jarleth Burke, lawyer; Angela Edghill , former Fine Gael policy analyst; Dr Seán Faughnan, former investment banker; Mari Hurley, accountant; Martin Hynes, healthcare management consultant; Dr William Lynch, general practitioner; Michael McLoughlin chief executive, Amárach Research Group; Dr Ruth McAreavey, lecturer in environmental planning at Queen's University Belfast; and Dr Fergus O'Ferrall, director of the Adelaide Hospital Society.
Mr Kenny said: "I want to look at ways of rebuilding Irish public services around the 21st-century needs and expectations of citizens and service users, whether as patients, parents, homeowners or businesses.
"I have asked Alan Dukes to chair this Fine Gael commission because of his vast range of experience - as an economist, politician and minister - in driving reform.
"As its first priority, the commission will look at how a system of universal healthcare can be developed which will end the two-tier health system, cut waiting lists, improve patient safety and care and drive reform.
"The commission will examine the critical issues of choice, capacity and cost and produce a range of options for the party about the implementation of a system of universal healthcare," Mr Kenny added.