Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1167. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is entitled to a full medical card here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25094/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Eligibility for health services is primarily based on residency and means. Any person, regardless of nationality, who is accepted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as being ordinarily resident in Ireland may be eligible for a health service either on the basis of full (medical card) or limited eligibility. If a person is coming to live in Ireland or returning here to live, they must satisfy the HSE that they are "ordinarily resident" i.e. that they are living here or intend to live here for at least a year in order to be eligible for public health services. However, if they are here for a shorter period, they are regarded as a visitor and therefore do not have any entitlement to free or subsidised health services and they should take out appropriate insurance to cover the period of their visit.