Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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850. To ask the Minister for Health if persons with Lyme disease are eligible under the Cross Border Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37095/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross Border Healthcare provides rules for the reimbursement to patients' of the cost of receiving treatment abroad, where the patient would be entitled to such treatment in their home Member State and supplements the rights that patients already have at EU level through the legislation on the co-ordination of social security schemes (Regulation 883/04).

The Health Service Executive (HSE) operates the EU Directive on Patients’ Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in Ireland. In line with practice in other EU Member States, the HSE, through the National Contact Point (NCP) office, provides information for patients on the Cross-Border Directive on its website - - and also by phone. The principal function of the NCP is to facilitate exchange of information for patients concerning their rights and entitlements relating to receiving healthcare in another Member State, in particular the terms and conditions for reimbursement of cost and the procedures for accessing and determining those entitlements.

The HSE have confirmed that a person may avail of treatment for Lyme disease under the Cross Border Directive.