Vol. 572 No. 2
69 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department has considered the implications of the case of a person (details supplied) in Britain; if his Department is working with Commissioner David Byrne to consider the implications of the 2001 European Court of Justice judgment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22580/03]
My Department has noted the finding of the UK court in relation to the case referred to by the Deputy.
Ireland has consistently implemented the relevant provisions under Article 22 of EU Regulation 1408/71. This article deals with, inter alia, health care entitlements for EU citizens in member states other than the state of residence. My Department is currently, in conjunction with counterparts in other member states of the European Union, engaged in a review of EU regulation 1408/71. An important aspect of this is the introduction of a European health insurance card, the purpose of which is to further facilitate the greater mobility of EU nationals between member states.
In 2002, I established the national treatment purchase fund for the purpose of treating those public patients who have been waiting longest for treatment. To date more than 7,200 patients have received treatment under the NTPF, which has identified capacity to treat up to 800 patients per month, predominantly in Ireland but also in four hospitals in the UK. Some €31 million has been made available to the NTPF in 2003.
