Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Bradford raised the issue of cross-border health care. As someone who was involved in this area at European level, I believe it is important the directive is transposed into Irish law. The directive has been passed for some time and the deadline for transposition into Irish law was October 2013. It is important the cross-border health care directive is transposed and I ask the Leader to urge the Minister to bring it forward. In the meantime, the treatment abroad fund should cover anyone who is unable to get a particular type of treatment here. That fund should provide the necessary support to someone who requires medical treatment. As someone who has benefited from cross-border health care, I am very much aware ofits importance. When people cannot get the health care they need here and it is available in another country, we should give them the financial support they require.

I also wish to the raise the issue of the HPAT exam for admission into medical schools. This is a disaster and there is significant controversy in regard to it in the press. There are serious issues with it and it is seen as another unnecessary expense imposed on parents and students. On the one hand, we have people sitting their leaving certificate exams, and on the other we now have them sitting the HPAT exam to get into medical school. If they do not pass the HPAT exam this year but pass it next year, does this mean they will be a better doctor? They will have studied the technique of passing the test rather than devoted themselves to studying medicine. I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Skills for a debate in the House on this issue. The HPAT exam was imposed unnecessarily. We already have criteria established based on the leaving certificate results. Why, then do we need this additional exam? People are paying money to study the technique of getting through it. This is a cost and expense that has been imposed on them and I have serious concerns about it. It is time to review the issue and the reason for it. There is no such exam for any other degree course and it should be re-examined.