Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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450. To ask the Minister for Health if approval will be forthcoming for treatment overseas for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has multiple and challenging conditions requiring surgery which is available outside the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46071/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The HSE operates the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) for persons entitled to treatment in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under EU Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004, as per the procedures set out in EU Regulations (EC) No. 987/2009, and in accordance with Department of Health Guidelines. Patients have the ability to apply to the HSE TAS seeking access to public healthcare outside the State through model form E112. The application requires the patient's Irish-based public referring hospital consultant, following clinical assessment, to certify, among other things, that the treatment is medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs. The treatment must not be available within the State or not available within a time normally necessary for obtaining it.

There is no statutory framework for referral of patients outside the EU/EEA Member States. In the instance that a consultant wishes to refer a patient to a non-EU/EEA country, the HSE applies the TAS administrative process and documentation for the purposes of such applications. Such applications for treatment in non-EU/EEA countries are required to include evidence that the treatment is not available within the EU/EEA.

The HSE has advised that an application under the Scheme has yet to be received in respect of the case detailed by the Deputy. In the first instance an application to the HSE will require to be made. Full details of the application process are available on the HSE website.