Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister confirm that the continuation of the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme, formerly the cross-border directive, will be placed into law in the State? This is crucial to thousands of our citizens on waiting lists across the country and it is a serious recruitment and retention issue for armed forces who rely on the scheme for treatment in hospitals in Northern Ireland through the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association.

I ask the Minister to confirm the funding has been allocated for the long-term continuance of the scheme in addition to that of the cross-border directive which forces patients to go to mainland Europe.

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