The Minister for Health has said claims that the Government was not acting over the problems in the healthcare system were a "myth".
There are 4,000 more doctors than 1997, 3,500 extra residential day care places, medical cards had been given to those over 70 and there has been a downward trend in waiting lists, he told the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis in Dublin's Citywest Hotel.
And at the last budget IR£33 million was ploughed into the health service, he added.
He complained that the "stories of success" were not told while tales of terrible standards abounded in the media.
Mr Martin said the forthcoming National Health Strategy would cut waiting times and give fairer access to medical card patients.
He said: "We are totally aware of the need to provide more access to hospital services for public patients. It is simply not acceptable that public patients have to wait for elective procedures. The strategy will provide fairer access to them.
"If we claim to be a country committed to equity, then that equity must start at birth with the care that we provide for all of the children."
On waiting times he said: "What causes the problem to the individual patient is not the number of people ahead of him or her on a list but the time he or she has to wait before they get their treatment. That will change, and change quickly."
He explained that a Primary Care Sector initiative would allow more people to get local treatment, eliminating needless visits to hospitals.
Earlier the ard-fheis heard calls on the Government to act to abolish the "unfair and inequitable" two-tier health system, the Fianna Fail party conference heard today.
Speakers, including councillors and doctors, demanded that the system, which distinguishes between private and public patients, be ended.
Others called on Mr Martin to act to reduce waiting lists. Mr Greg Kelly, a doctor with 25-year's service, from Roscommon, said there were "serious shortcomings" in the service.
"You have two waiting lists - the public waiting list is much longer than the private waiting list," he said.
"You have two levels of accommodation in hospitals - you have private rooms for private patients, single rooms for private patients and large public wards for medical card patients.
"The system is unfair and inequitable and will have to go."
Dublin South East councillor Mr Gary Keegan added: "It is clear that for those well off and able to afford private health insurance their needs are met far quicker with a better quality of care."
The comments were backed up by delegates who passed motions calling for moves to abolish the two-tier system and appoint more consultants to reduce waiting lists.
Further motions were passed by delegates calling on regional Health Boards to be more effective and efficient, for investigations into spending at hospitals to improve services to patients and to address the lack of services for children and adults with autism.
PA