The Minister for Health has clashed with health organisation representatives, during the launch of a progress report on the Primary Healthcare Strategy.
The report was released at Government buildings this afternoon.
Representatives of the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union began arguing with the minister during a news conference to launch the progress report.
The President of the IMO, Dr James Reilly and the President of the IPU, Karl Halpin, took issue with some of the replies which Micheál Martin had given to journalists.
Mr Martin responded by accusing both men of trying to pull a PR stunt by hijacking the press conference.
The issue that sparked the initial row was a report in yesterday's Irish Times. It quoted Dr James Reilly as saying that the Government had promised to provide €130 million annually over ten years for the Primary Healthcare Strategy. Micheál Martin rejected this claim.
Speaking after the news conference, Dr Reilly accused Minister Martin of being the 'Minister for Spin' and said the Government had failed to deliver on his promises and that it was letting down the patients.
