Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1580. To ask the Minister for Health if a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16791/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1583. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a child (details supplied) was waiting for a call back for an out-of-hours service for over ten hours. [17329/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter and the Health Service Executive have a service level agreement in place with SouthDoc, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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1585. To ask the Minister for Health the average waiting times for genetic testing services for rare diseases in Ireland; and the measures his Department plans to take to improve access and speed of results for patients in need of genetic testing services. [17342/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly as soon as possible.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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1587. To ask the Minister for Health his views on extending the costs covered by the HSE administered EU treatment abroad scheme to incorporate expenses incurred by individuals who have to seek treatment which lasts over several weeks, especially accommodation costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17374/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS) as provided for in EU Regulations, does not include a provision for travel and subsistence expenses for patients or their relatives travelling abroad to avail of approved treatments.

However the HSE, subject to available funding, under the Treatment Abroad Scheme Travel Policy, may provide assistance towards reasonable economic air or sea travel fares for patients, and a travelling companion where appropriate or where the referring consultant identifies a necessity. The HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme National Travel Policy was implemented to standardise and provide equity to the provision of entitlements relating to travel expenses. It does not include provision for expenses other than air/sea fares.

However, patients who experience difficulty funding any additional costs may apply to the Department of Social Protection for assistance as an exceptional needs payment. It should be noted that, in general, patients do not incur subsistence costs when undergoing treatment abroad as such costs are included in the cost of the care that the patient is receiving.