Sir,– I am sorry that Patrick Manley (May 25th), writing from Northern Ireland, will be deprived of his use of the European Health Insurance (EHIC) card. This is a direct consequence of Brexit.
The use of the card is not free. It has to be paid for by the state which issued the card. This means that the Irish State receives the bill for all Irish residents using the card.
It would be a large burden on the Irish taxpayer if every Irish citizen carrying an Irish passport were to be billed for this EU service.
This is another disadvantage that the Brexiteers failed to mention, and they will no doubt blame the EU for the change. – Yours, etc,
JEAN SWIFT,
Dublin 18.
A chara, – Perhaps Patrick Manley confuses citizenship with residency. The European Health Insurance Card is for residents, not necessarily citizens, of any EU country to access necessary healthcare when travelling to another EU country.
Under regulation 859/2003, any non-EU national, their family members or survivors legally resident in the territory of an EU member state may apply for a EHIC. Mr Manley can rest assured that there is no “process of disenfranchisement” within the State.
Might I suggest that he may find it more beneficial to write letters to the NHS, UK newspapers and his local MPs requesting another referendum on Brexit, considering his attachment to the wonderful example of European Union integration that the EHIC is. – Yours, etc,
GARETH CLIFFORD,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.