Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1372. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health to outline the full process and eligibility criteria for patients applying under the Treatment Abroad Scheme; and to provide the number of applications, approvals, refusals and reimbursements issued under the scheme in each of the past three years, together with any planned changes or improvements. [39556/26]
View answerThe HSE operates the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled under EU Regulation 883/04. The TAS is a consultant led scheme and allows for a public consultant based in Ireland to refer a public patient who is normally resident in Ireland for treatment in the public healthcare system of another EU member state, the UK or Switzerland. Subject to the EU Regulations and Guidelines, the TAS provides for the cost of approved public treatments in another EU/EEA member state, the UK or Switzerland through the issue of form S2 (IE) where the treatment is:
• among the benefits provided for by Irish legislation;
• not available in Ireland;
• not available within the time normally necessary for obtaining it in Ireland, taking account of the patient's current state of health and the probable course of the disease;
• medically necessary and will meet the patient’s needs;
• a proven form of medical treatment and not experimental or test treatment;
• provided in a recognised public hospital or other institution that will accept EU/EEA form S2 (IE) and;
• is under the control of a registered medical practitioner.
The HSE provides further information for patients on the HSE TAS website:www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/treatment-abroad-scheme.
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
