Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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870. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) is entitled to seek medical treatment in another EU country and make a claim for reimbursement for the cost of treatment from the HSE under current Irish and EU law particularly Directive 2011/24/EU. [45111/20]

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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871. To ask the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will subsequently be able to exercise their EU rights to seek treatment abroad when the UK ceases completely to adhere to EU regulations after 31 December 2020; and the basis on which a person is receiving a state pension from another EU member state and Ireland is construed as being their member state of affiliation under the terms of Directive 2011/24/EU. [45112/20]

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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872. To ask the Minister for Health if prohibition in respect of access to cross-border healthcare under 2011/24/EU applies equally to legally resident citizens in Ireland who receive a pension from another non-EEA country such as the USA, Australia and so on; if not, if it is only applicable to citizens receiving a state pension from the UK given that their state of affiliation will no longer be an EU member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45113/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 870 to 872, inclusive, together.

The EU and the UK reached a deal on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement in late December 2020.   The Agreement includes provisions relating to Social Security and health rights for certain categories of persons including pensioners.  Social security and healthcare rights for pensioners are also provided for by the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

The question raised by the Deputy is a complex one and requires careful consideration of the interaction between the current EU Cross Border Directive and that of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement.  This matter is currently being reviewed by officials and a response will issue to the Deputy when matter has been clarified.

In the interim the Deputy may wish to note that the Government has recently agreed to provide for the implementation of a new Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme from 1 January 2021 which will operate for 12 months.  This will enable persons resident in Ireland to avail of healthcare from private providers in Northern Ireland and be reimbursed for that care by the HSE.  The scheme and will operate on the same parameters as the EU Cross Border Directive scheme.

Finally, anyone wishing to seek care under the Directive or the NI Planned Healthcare Scheme should contact the HSE's CBD office at St Canice's Hospital, Dublin Road, Kilkenny, Tel: 056 7784546 or  crossborderdirective@hse.ie to check their eligibility for these schemes.