Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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152. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to make patients aware of their right to avail of publically funded health care in other European Union and European Economic Area states under Directive 2011/24/EU; if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of Irish patients who have availed of this mechanism in other states, by year, since the directive came into force; and if he will provide, in tabular form, the categories of different procedures availed of. [22720/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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. It 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 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 Health Service Executive has been asked to examine the matter of the data requested and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.