Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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125. To ask the Minister for Health the reason persons on elective waiting lists are not informed of their entitlements under the cross-border Directive 2011/24/EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22725/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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126. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the Health Service Executive does not actively inform patients of their rights under the cross-border Directive 2011/24/EU, with particular campaigns targeted at patients on waiting lists. [22742/15]

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Minister for Health the steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Health Service Executive actively informs patients on waiting lists of their rights to access medical treatment abroad, under the cross-border Directive 2011/24/EU; the reason the executive has to date failed to do so in spite of the threat of European Union sanctions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22800/15]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Health the reason all patients currently on waiting lists for procedures are not made aware of their rights based entitlements under the European Union cross-border health care directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22667/15]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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153. To ask the Minister for Health the latest developments on the full implementation of the European Union cross-border health care directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22668/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 to 127, inclusive, 152 and 153 together.

The EU Directive on the application of patient’s rights in cross-border healthcare seeks to ensure a clear and transparent framework for the provision of cross-border healthcare within the EU and is designed to clarify patients' rights to access safe and good quality treatment across EU/EEA Member States.

The Health Service Executive operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. In line with practice in other EU Member States, the HSE, through the National Contact Point (NCP) office, provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive on its website - - and also by phone. The principal function of the NCP (which is the mechanism specified under the Directive for the dissemination of information on the Directive by Member States) is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements. The NCP also has a responsibility to ensure that all enquirers are informed of the right to healthcare, if any, that they may have through the European legislation on the coordination of social security schemes (EU Regulation 883/04) and which may be more beneficial to them. The NCP is able to inform patients what the cost of their treatments would be in Ireland to allow them make a comparison with the costs they are being quoted for comparable treatment in another Member State.

The European Union (Application of Patients’ Rights in Cross-border Healthcare) Regulations 2014 - Statutory Instrument No. 203 of 2014 - came into operation on 1st June 2014 and implements the key provisions of the Directive, namely; providing for reimbursement by the HSE of qualifying cross-border healthcare, a system of prior authorisation, and the placing of the National Contact Point on a statutory basis. A further S.I. (No. 65 of 2015) to give effect to the remaining commitments was signed on 23rd February 2015 completing the transposition of the Directive.