The President of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has claimed political interference in the health services is limiting the potential of doctors to treat patients properly.

Dr Matthew Sadlier cited the controversial proposals from the Government to dismantle the medical card contract and to introduce a new contract under which it is proposed that GPs will provide free visits to children under six.

He also highlighted that the IMO had been forced to undertake industrial action on behalf of junior doctors in recent months to force the Government to stop making NCHDs working' dangerously long' working hours.

He also questioned the Government proposals to introduce a system of universal health insurance and the recent publication of a White Paper on the issue.

Dr Sadlier criticised the Government for not allowing a broader debate about competing finance models for the health services by attempting to restrict the debate to an insurance-based model.

He was speaking on the opening day of the IMO AGM in Co. Kildare today.