Micheál Martin rejects Leo Varadkar’s criticism of his time as health minister

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has rejected criticism of his record in office by Minister for Health Leo Varadkar.

Mr Martin said such criticism of his terms as health and enterprise minister was a “sad reflection on Leo”.

Speaking in Galway, he said it was also an "illustration or the panic and disarray within Government circles" that they had to resort to personal attacks on the record of someone who was appointed minister for health 16 years ago.

“We’re actually asking the Irish people to vote on the next government from 2016 to 2021,”Mr Martin said.

“He [Mr Varadkar] has adopted the strategy of being a detached commentator on crisis after crisis in health and he has presided over inadequate and insufficient budgets for hospital,”Mr Martin said.

“ It would be far better for him to reflect on his time in health than trying to attack somebody who made significant gains in a whole range of fronts in our health service between 2000 and 2004,”he added.”

Mr Martin referred to the introduction of the smoking ban as one of his achievements.