Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1370. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28130/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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EU Regulation 883/2004 provides for access to public health services on an emergency basis when an EU national visits another Member State on a temporary visit. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is presented as evidence that the holder is entitled to receive necessary emergency treatment in the host Member State's public healthcare system on the same terms and at the same cost as nationals of the state concerned.

Bilateral arrangements between the UK and Ireland do not require the production of an EHIC for such public services to be provided, although it can of course be presented, and generally the production of proof of address by the patient is sufficient to permit access to the public services.

In relation to this matter, my officials raised this with the UK authorities who confirmed that the clinic is an NHS clinic. Whilst it is not clear as to why this situation arose, the UK authorities did indicate that GP practices can only turn down an application to be temporarily registered with a GP for non-discriminatory reasons, such as if their lists are closed to new patients, the applicant lives outside the practice’s boundary area or in other rare circumstances.