Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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166. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to have coeliac patients covered under the long-term illness scheme. [8979/16]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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167. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to have some coeliac foods made available free for patients with medical cards. [8980/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.

The Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.

The HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicinal products under the community drug schemes in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.

The HSE faces a continuing challenge to deliver services in a way that will minimise any adverse impact on patients and continue to protect, as far as possible, the most vulnerable citizens. Unfortunately, as a result it has become necessary for the HSE to suspend certain products from its list of items reimbursable under the GMS and other community drug schemes. This includes gluten-free products.

Gluten-free products have become more widely available in supermarkets in recent years and tend to be significantly cheaper than products sold through community pharmacies. Coeliac patients can also claim medical expenses tax relief on expenditure incurred on gluten-free products manufactured specifically for coeliacs. There are no plans to reinstate these products on the list of reimbursable items under the GMS and other community drug schemes.