I raised the issue of the cross-border directive with the then Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, 12 months ago in the House. The question was whether the cross-border scheme would continue in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Many people have gone to Northern Ireland for hip, knee and, most importantly, cataract surgery. In the last year and a half, myself, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae, Councillor Ben Dalton O'Sullivan and Councillor Danny Collins have taken over 2,000 people for eye-saving surgery. Fianna Fáil itself used the cross-border service in one of its election promotion videos. The answer I got from the Tánaiste at the time was that if there was a no-deal Brexit, legislation would be put in place to make sure the cross-border scheme would continue. Can the Taoiseach tell us if the legislation is now in place to continue the cross-border directive if we have a no-deal Brexit? He must not let thousands go blind in Cork and Kerry on his watch.

First, the 2,000 people were paid for by the Irish taxpayer.

They would be blind otherwise.

Sorry. The cross-border directive was something we entered into under the EU. People have availed of it and the taxpayer has refunded them - that is the scheme. The Deputy and his colleagues have put on the buses and have run a great old operation for quite some time. The most important-----

Will we be allowed to continue?

If Britain leaves the EU, Britain leaves the EU. Does the Deputy understand that? Cross-border directives may no longer apply to it. I think that what is more important is that we improve capacity in our own system in terms of cataract-----

The Taoiseach is saying it is over.

No, I did not say that at all. I said we have to increase capacity in the Cork centre, which is the biggest in Munster in terms of cataracts and many other procedures. We should be doing it in Dublin and across the country. We should actually be sparing people the necessity to travel long distances for cataract operations.

Is the legislation in place?

Is the Taoiseach going to stop it? Answer the question.

Hold on. This is outrageous. I have told the Deputy but how can there be a cross-border directive in those circumstances? We will deal with that. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is taking a different approach to this in terms of making sure that people-----

They are going to stop it.

Hear me out. We have arrangements with Belfast and with Altnagelvin in respect of a whole range of health services. We would like to expand that with the North, and we would like to enter into contracts and procurement with them where necessary to provide treatment, and vice versa as well, given the North wants to avail of health services in the Republic. That is the way we should proceed.