Written Answers Nos. 142-146
142. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health the reason the cross-border medical treatment service provides less financial assistance to residents of Ireland than to those who seek similar treatments or medical procedures in another EU country. [22122/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand the Deputy may be seeking information on schemes which facilitate patients accessing medical treatment abroad.
The HSE currently operates three schemes that facilitate patients accessing treatment abroad.
The HSE operates the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled under EU Regulation 883/04. The TAS is a consultant led scheme and allows for an Ireland-based public consultant to refer a public patient who is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved public treatments in another EU/EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland through the issue of form S2 (IE) where the treatment is:
• among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation;
• not available in Ireland;
• not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease;
• medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs;
• a proven form of medical treatment and not experimental or test treatment;
• provided in a recognised public hospital or other institution that will accept EU/EEA form S2 (IE) and;
• is under the control of a registered medical practitioner.
The HSE provides further information for patients on the HSE TAS website: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/treatment-abroad-scheme/
The EU Cross Border Directive (CBD) provides rules for the reimbursements to patients of the cost of receiving treatment abroad, where the patient would be entitled to such treatment in their home Member State, and supplements the rights that patients already have at EU level. The HSE operates the EU Cross Border Directive (CBD) in Ireland. Under the terms of the CBD, patients in Ireland can seek to be referred to another EU/EEA country for medical treatment that is available in the public health service in Ireland. The patient may access the overseas service in either the public or private health sector of the country they choose to receive the service in. The patient pays for the treatment and claims reimbursement from the HSE at the cost of that treatment in Ireland or the cost of it abroad, whichever is the lesser. The HSE, in fulfilling its role as the National Contact Point (NCP) in Ireland, provides information for patients on the operation of the CBD, including on its website: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/cross-border-directive/
The Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NIPHS) has been in effective operation since 1 January 2021. This Scheme was introduced to mitigate the loss of access to care from private providers in Northern Ireland under the EU Cross Border Directive, which ceased to apply as a result of Brexit. The current administrative scheme enables persons ordinarily resident in the State to access and be reimbursed for private healthcare in Northern Ireland by the HSE, provided such healthcare is publicly available within Ireland. Such healthcare will be reimbursed at the cost of providing that treatment in the State or the cost of same in Northern Ireland, whichever is the lesser. The HSE provides further information for patients on the HSE NIPHS website: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/niphs/
Patients are advised to contact the HSE for advice on making an application for treatment abroad under the most appropriate scheme, in advance of travelling abroad. Further information is available on the HSE's TAS, CBD / Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme websites, including contact details.
143. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health when a person will be seen at a clinic (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22134/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
144. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not awarded any publicly funded contracts to the company referenced by the Deputy at any time since the creation of the Department in 2020.
145. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the capital investment in computer and data infrastructure, by investment, in each of the years since 2011, in tabular form. [21991/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department was established in 2020 and its IT services are provided on a shared services basis with the Department of Education under an agreed Memorandum of Understanding. To date, my Department has not incurred any expenditure related to capital investments in its IT or data infrastructure.
146. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if any efforts are being made to accelerate the approval process for Reach funding to enable applicants to plan community education programmes in advance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22030/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Reach Fund supports educationally disadvantaged learners to access and participate in community education. It is administered at a local level through the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) who advertise the Fund inviting Community education providers to apply for funding for eligible projects. SOLAS issues annual guidelines for the operation of the Fund and approves an allocation for ETB for the Fund. The 2024 Guidelines requested ETBs to complete their funding calls by end March 2024.
SOLAS has confirmed to my Department that all of the ETBs have completed their funding calls for 2024 and it will be providing details of the approved projects to my Department shortly.
