Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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517. To ask the Minister for Health if there are any specific criteria which apply to young persons under 16 years of age with mental illness in order to qualify for the long-term illness scheme; if there are specific categories of mental illness which are precluded from eligibility for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52851/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the Long Term Illness Scheme. The Health Services (Amendment) Regulations, 1971 (S.I. No. 277/1971) provides that Mental Illness in a person under 16 is covered under the scheme. Issues have arisen as to whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is regarded as a mental illness for the purposes of the Long Term Illness scheme. The HSE has undertaken a review of the matter and is implementing new guidelines which address the issues relating to ADHD fairly and consistently for new and recent applicants.