Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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369. To ask the Minister for Health to considered adding inflammatory bowel disease as a condition which qualifies under the long-term illness scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27817/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975, prescribing 16 conditions covered by the Scheme. These are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.

Under the LTI Scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge. While there are currently no plans to extend the list of conditions, it is important to remember that the LTI Scheme exists within a wider eligibility framework.

There has been a significant focus on improving access to and the affordability of healthcare services over the last few years. This includes reductions in the Drugs Payment Scheme threshold, expansion of access to free GP care, and the abolition of all public in-patient hospital charges for children and adults. These measures continue to create a health and social care service that offers affordable access to quality healthcare.

People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE.

In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness. In circumstances where an applicant is still over the income limit for a medical card, they are then assessed for a GP visit card, which entitles the applicant to GP visits without charge.

Under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS), no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The DPS is not means tested and is available to anyone ordinarily resident in Ireland. The DPS significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.

Individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of their medical expenses, including medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is at the standard tax rate of 20%.

Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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370. To ask the Minister for Health to consider incorporating inflammatory bowel disease into the chronic disease management programme, which would recognise this chronic disease as a qualifying condition for additional support and social protections; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27818/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. The General Practitioner (GP) Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Programme commenced in 2020 and has been rolled out on a phased basis to adult GMS (Medical Card and GP Visit Card) patients over a 4-year period.

The CDM Programme represents a new approach in Ireland to working with patients to manage their healthcare. It has brought the care for chronic disease further into the community and closer to the patient, and has reduced hospital attendance by patients with one or more of the specified conditions.

The Programme has been expanded to include women who have had Gestational Diabetes, and from July this year will be further expanded to include Chronic Kidney Disease, among other conditions.

Further expansion of the Programme to include additional conditions would require rigorous clinical assessment and engagement with stakeholders, including the GPs delivering the service. Nonetheless, this could be considered in the future in the context of resource availability.

Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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371. To ask the Minister for Health to consider incorporating inflammatory bowel disease into the eligibility criteria of the GP visit and medical card schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27819/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Medical card and GP visit card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card and GP Visit Card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold. This is the amount of money that an individual can earn per week and still qualify for a card. It is specific to the individual’s own financial circumstances.

People under 70 are assessed under the general means tested medical card thresholds which are based on an applicant’s household income after deduction of tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge. Certain expenses are also taken into account. People aged 70 or older are assessed under medical card income thresholds which are based on gross income. However, those aged over 70 can also be assessed under the general means tested scheme where there are particularly high medical costs. Detailed guidelines are available at: www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/applying/assessment/.

The issue of granting medical or GP visit cards on the basis of illness or a disability was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card or GP visit card eligibility. In following the Expert Group’s advice, a person’s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card or GP visit card.

Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card or GP visit card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card or GP visit card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services.

I can assure the Deputy that, to ensure the medical card and GP visit card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card and GP visit card issues under review and any changes are considered in the context of Government policy and other issues which may be relevant.

Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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372. To ask the Minister for Health the actions she is taking to reduce the burden of hospital car park fees, especially for patients who suffer from chronic diseases and require ongoing hospital treatments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27820/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Hospitals that charge parking fees are very cognisant of the financial implications of parking costs for patients and their families, particularly for those suffering with chronic illness, who may require ongoing hospital treatment.

Consequently, many hospitals have some form of exemptions or allowances in place such as the option of flexible day passes or multi-trip entry passes for regular hospital attenders, and various concessions based on the type of inpatient. Furthermore, all hospitals that charge for parking have a fixed maximum daily rate.

The Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future, makes a commitment to explore ways to further reduce hospital car parking charges. This is a reflection of the Government’s appreciation of the financial challenge that can be faced by people in meeting these expenses, in particular where they are frequent users of hospital services. Accordingly, my Department and the HSE are currently examining the issue.

Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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373. To ask the Minister for Health the actions she is taking to ensure that every inflammatory bowel disease clinic is adequately staffed with a full multidisciplinary team; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27821/25]