Professor Fergal Malone:

To give a specific example of the strain in the UK, for a period of time one of the major units that we work with and which our patients attend was limiting Irish patients to one new Irish patient per week. That was for all of Ireland. We had quite a few examples of patients calling up and trying to make an appointment to find out that the one Irish appointment had already been taken. Then they would have to wait until the following week to try calling again and maybe it would be able to fit in the patient then. As the committee can imagine, it was a completely intolerable situation.

Deputy Daly asked about trauma for patients if they had to go farther afield. I am concerned about the impact of Brexit. If there are further practical impediments to patients travelling freely between Ireland and the United Kingdom, I would see some significant added traumas and challenges for our patients. It must be remembered that those who are must vulnerable to being traumatised are those who are non-English speaking. They are perhaps refugees who do not have the wherewithal or the common sense to be able to find other avenues for their care. It is a potential significant problem for us.