Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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736. To ask the Minister for Health the reason venesection and phlebotomy therapy is a free treatment in St James's Hospital, Dublin for haemochromatosis patients and not a free treatment in all hospitals; his views on whether this is discriminatory based on location; his further views on whether there is no justification for persons to pay an €80 fee for a 15 minute outpatient procedure which prevents organ damage and saves lives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54658/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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749. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the charge for venesection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54738/17]

Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the recently introduced charge of €80 imposed by a number of hospital groups on persons with haemochromatosis who require venesection with a view to reversing the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54748/17]

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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850. To ask the Minister for Health if he has given consideration to reimbursing the €80 charge that persons with haemochromatosis must pay if they do not hold a medical card for venesection procedures; if the petition from persons who are anxious for the charge to be removed will be responded to; if further consideration will be given to adding haemochromatosis to the long-term illness scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55038/17]

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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864. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a charge of €80 has been imposed on haemochromatosis patients requiring venesection; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that some haemochromatosis patients may need up to four venesections per month; the justification for this charge; his plans to abolish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55073/17]

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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968. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to provide services for haemochromatosis sufferers; his further plans to provide funding and support to implement the recommendations of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1090/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 736, 749, 751, 850, 864 and 968 together.

The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all people ordinarily resident in the country are entitled, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services, including consultant services, and to public out-patient hospital services. Under the Health (In-Patients Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2008, a person who has been referred to a hospital for an in-patient service, including that provided on a day case basis, will have to pay the statutory daily charge, currently €80 per day, up to a maximum of €800 per year. On this basis, where venesection is classed as a day case procedure and is not carried out in an out-patient setting, the public in-patient charge applies.

My Department is currently examining arrangements for patients with Hereditary Haemochromatosis in the context of the recommendations set out in the HSE's 'Model of Care Report for Therapeutic Phlebotomy for Patients with Hereditary Haemochromatosis'.