Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, on Brexit, we have been working very hard to avoid a no-deal Brexit. The Deputy is correct in stating that the western regions and the Border counties in particular would suffer very severely from a no-deal Brexit, and farming would be very negatively impacted in terms of dairy, beef, sheep and all agricultural products. The impact would be very severe. As for fish, it would potentially be disastrous if there was a no-deal Brexit, because it would mean an immediate hit. Therefore, Michel Barnier is negotiating on behalf of 27 member states. I am sure the Deputy knows that. There are not 27 member state ministers on the negotiating team. He knows that. I do not know why he says what he says in the way he says it in terms of ministers. We have all fed into that process, of course, and the negotiating team know the Irish bottom line in relation to fisheries and what we are trying to achieve here. We are endeavouring to avoid a no-deal Brexit. Doing so is in the best interests of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the other member states of the European Union. It is the common-sense and logical thing to do to avoid a no-deal Brexit. I would appreciate if the Deputy would confirm that it is his view also that we should avoid a no-deal Brexit.

On the issue of the cross-border directive, it was a European Union directive. I would like the Deputy to acknowledge that the reason it is coming to an end as a cross-border directive under EU legislation is because the United Kingdom has decided to leave the European Union.

There is no appetite in the Northern Ireland public health system to continue the scheme. We have to develop a scheme unilaterally. Essentially, two private hospitals in Northern Ireland provide these services. Last year, there were 7,800 applicants. More than 7,300 accessed care there with almost 98% of these patients accessing care in Northern Ireland. The remainder accessed it in the UK. That is the overall position. Irish patients predominantly travel to Northern Ireland to access healthcare under that directive.

The total value of the reimbursement was €16.6 million. That was the taxpayers' outlay in this regard, which is why I and the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, have approved funding for developing our capacity in the Republic to deliver more orthopaedic and cataract operations, in particular. We are protecting a range of cross-border healthcare measures even as the UK leaves the European Union, such as the treatment abroad scheme and the European health insurance card, for example, where there will be equivalence for Northern Ireland resident citizens. The cross-border treatment directive is different from those schemes. We are working on the issue and it will be continued administratively in the early months of next year.

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