Dr. Tony Holohan:

Senator Colm Burke asked about data from abroad. We do not have good information or hard data on any pattern of people travelling outside the State for AHR services. Some of the advocacy organisations may have a better understanding of that practice. When we brought the policy proposals to Government in 2015 we did some work on this and some of the data we have suggest the population rate at which AHR takes place in this country is below the average in the rest of Europe, though I would be cautious about interpreting these data in too detailed a way because the rate is not substantially lower.

On the cost issues, we are doing work which we are going to bring back to Government relating to funding and eligibility criteria and I would be happy to elaborate on that. The high-tech scheme already provides assistance to people with the cost of some of the drugs currently in use.