asked the Minister for Health what arrangements are now in force by which insured persons may obtain surgical appliances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Surgical Appliances for Insured Persons.
Health authorities are obliged under Section 14 of the Health Act, 1953, to make appliances available to insured persons who are in the lower income group.
Health authorities are obliged under Section 15 of the Act to make appliances available to insured persons who are not members of the lower income group and who are receiving institutional services in public wards in approved hospitals to which they are sent by the health authority for treatment.
Insured persons who, in lieu of accepting services made available by the health authority, make their own arrangements for obtaining institutional services under Section 25 of the Health Act, 1953, are not entitled to obtain appliances at the expense of the health authority.
Would the Minister say if there is published in any ordinary regulation a schedule of the appliances which a health authority is required to supply under that general direction?
There is, in fact, a schedule published but I think I should require notice in order to answer that question.