Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Health if he will order a reversal of the decision by the Health Service Executive travel abroad scheme a number of years ago to no longer provide full subsistence for transplant patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9691/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) as provided for in EU Regulations and Department of Health Guidelines, does not include a provision for travel and subsistence expenses for patients or their relatives travelling abroad to avail of approved treatments. However the HSE, subject to available funding, under the Treatment Abroad Scheme Travel Policy, may provide assistance towards reasonable economic air or sea travel fares for patients, and a travelling companion where appropriate or where the referring consultant identifies a necessity. The HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme National Travel Policy was implemented in November 2009 to standardise and provide equity to the provision of entitlements relating to travel expenses. Expenses other than air/sea fares are not admissible. However, patients who experience difficulty funding any additional costs may apply to the Department of Social Protection for assistance as an exceptional needs payment. It should be noted that, in general, patients do not incur subsistence costs when undergoing treatment abroad as such costs are included in the cost of the care that the patient is receiving.

On 12 November 2014 I introduced a scheme for the reimbursement of some expenses of living kidney donors which applies to living donor transplants in Ireland and to those who, under clinical supervision, of the Renal Transplant Programme in Beaumont Hospital, travel to the UK for paired kidney donation. However retrospection does not apply in regard to such payments.