Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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193. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an assurance that the cross border health scheme will continue after 31 December 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50275/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Northern Ireland Planned Healthcare Scheme (NI PHS) has been in effective operation since 1 January 2021. This Scheme was introduced to mitigate the loss of access to care from private providers in Northern Ireland under the EU Cross Border Directive, which ceased to apply as a result of Brexit. The Government intends to place the administrative NI PHS on a statutory basis and an extensive examination of options to inform the drafting of a General Scheme is currently underway. I can confirm that the administrative scheme will remain until such time that a statutory scheme is in place.

Patients also continue to have access to health services under the EU Cross Border Directive Scheme in all other remaining EU/EEA countries.