John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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820. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which an Irish citizen who lives in the UK can gain access to haemodialysis while returning here for holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35470/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under EU Regulations, all persons ordinarily resident in the EU are entitled to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC certifies that the holder has the right to receive emergency healthcare during a temporary stay in any EU country as well as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland. This right is guaranteed to all persons who are covered by the public healthcare system of these countries. The European Health Insurance Card holder has the right to receive necessary 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. Renal units in this State normally accommodate dialysis for those presenting a EHIC once contact has been made with them in advance of the patient travelling here and the patient's clinicians provide all relevant patient information to the consultants in the receiving renal unit here.

Under bilateral arrangements, patients from the UK can bring evidence of UK residence instead of an EHIC.

For further information on accessing treatments under the EHIC in Ireland a person can contact the Health Service Executive EU Regulations Office. Their contact details are:

EU Regulations Office,

St. Joseph's Hospital,

Mulgrave Street,

Limerick.

Telephone: 061 461 105.

Email: euregulations@hse.ie.