Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40760/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Entitlement to public health services in Ireland is primarily based on residency and means. Any person, regardless of nationality, who is accepted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as being ordinarily resident in Ireland is entitled to either full eligibility (Category 1, i.e. medical card holders) or limited eligibility (Category 2) for health services. Persons in Category 1 are entitled to a full range of services including, inter alia, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards including consultant services and all out-patient public hospital services including consultant services. Persons in Category 2 are also entitled, inter alia, to these services, but subject to statutory charges.

However, where a patient opts for private treatment, they have moved outside the public system and any fees charged are a private contractual arrangement between the patient and the care provider(s).

My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Health Service Executive to arrange to have the particular case investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if she will clarify the reason assistance was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40766/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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When a person is authorised to receive treatment abroad under Regulation (EC) 1408/71, Form E112 is issued by the HSE and is confirmation that the HSE will bear the cost of the treatment. There is no entitlement for a patient who receives treatment abroad under these arrangements to receive a reimbursement of their travel expenses. It is at the discretion of the HSE to reimburse any individual for their travel expenses incurred while getting treatment abroad.

Therefore, the HSE is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Health Service Executive to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issue directly to the Deputy.