Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
595. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to provide, for each year from 2020 to 2025 inclusive, the total gross expenditure met from Vote funding under the treatment abroad scheme in respect of patients aged under 18 years; the number of prior authorisations approved in each year for this age cohort; and the aggregate expenditure per year associated with those approvals. [11439/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra596. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department categorises or tracks treatment abroad scheme expenditure by treatment type or clinical category, including gender-related healthcare; and if so, to set out the categories used, the year in which such categorisation commenced; and how this information is used for expenditure control and policy oversight. [11440/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra597. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the expenditure-control framework applied by her Department to the treatment abroad scheme since 2020, including whether any annual or multi-annual budget ceilings, control totals, or sanction limits have been set at Departmental level; and if not, the reason no such ceilings apply to this area of Vote expenditure. [11441/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra598. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to detail the governance and approval chain within her Department and the HSE for managing treatment abroad scheme expenditure, including the name of the responsible Division in her Department, the budget holder accountable for TAS expenditure, and the role of the Department’s Eligibility Unit in monitoring or approving budget variances. [11442/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra599. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health to list all audits, reviews, or value-for-money examinations conducted since 2020 by or on behalf of her Department, the HSE Internal Audit function, or the Comptroller and Auditor General that included the treatment abroad scheme; and for each audit to provide the year conducted, scope, principal findings, and whether any recommendations were made regarding expenditure control or governance. [11443/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 595, 596, 597, 598 and 599 together.
Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. As the HSE holds responsibility for the management and operation of the EU Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), for persons entitled under EU Regulation 883/04, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
