Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is good advice for us to understand the scale. It will probably be our starting point and we can decide what we need to do thereafter.

The cross-border treatment directive is used frequently in Ireland. Irish citizens, as well as other, non-Irish EU citizens who reside in the State, often travel to Northern Ireland to avail of treatment such as hip or knee replacements or cataract surgery. Professor Hervey pointed out that one must be resident in the State to access treatment under the common travel area agreement, which applies only to UK and Irish citizens. It will be a problem for us. Given that it is so difficult to access elective procedures in the Republic, busloads of people travel to Northern Ireland for cataract surgery and joint replacements every week. Has Professor Hervey a view on the status of that practice? Is there anything we can do to deal with it? Will domestic legislation be required in both Ireland and the UK?