I welcome the guests of Deputy Brendan Smith from the Hen's Shed in Cavan. They are most welcome to Seanad Éireann. Also from Cavan, I call now on Senator Tully.

A lot of us here are familiar with the cross-Border scheme or the Northern Ireland planned healthcare. It is an option for people who are on public waiting lists for health procedures to use a different jurisdiction to have that procedure carried out in a more timely fashion. I was recently contacted by the mother of a two-year-old boy who was in a lot of pain and required an operation. The waiting list here was years long so they opted to have the operation carried out in Belfast. She followed the HSE guidelines, got a referral from the GP, sought a consultant in Belfast and the operation was carried out. It was very successful but when she sought reimbursement from the HSE she was refused because the HSE said the first appointment with the consultant from Belfast was held in Monaghan. The consultant arranged that consultation in Monaghan; it was nothing to do with the family. He is based in Belfast and that is where he carried out the surgery. He has frequently carried out initial consultations with patients in Monaghan and there has never been an issue before.

She is really upset. She said she is delighted the operation has been carried out because her son was in so much pain and it was really successful, but she feels this needs to be highlighted because others could fall into this trap as well. She has appealed the decision and the HSE has refused to reimburse her. She may take it further to the ombudsman but it is for others as well. If the consultation was arranged by the consultant based in Belfast but he arranged it in Monaghan, probably to save them having to travel the whole way to Belfast, then it should not be taken out on the family that required the operation. I want this to be highlighted to the Minister for Health and the HSE because I do not think it is appropriate.