Written question – Transgender healthcare and the cross-border healthcare directive – E-002089/2025

Question for written answer  E-002089/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Lynn Boylan (The Left)

Within Ireland, the transgender community regularly rely on Directive 2011/24/EU[1]. There is no national policy for transgender healthcare, and available services are limited within the country. The main publicly-funded gender clinic is estimated to have a 2000 person, 13 year waiting list for new referrals for assessment, and requires a complete assessment for all patients, including those previously diagnosed and receiving treatment from other services.

• 1.Considering the Directive and the case of W.W. v Poland – ECHR 31842/20, should patients who have been diagnosed and received treatment in other Member States, either publicly or privately, and who subsequently move to Ireland, be able to continue their care in Ireland, that is, without having to wait 13 years for a complete reassessment and without their treatment being interrupted while waiting?
• 2.Considering Article 8.5 and Article 8.6.d of the Directive, would a 13-year wait to begin assessment generally be considered timely and medically justifiable for cross-border healthcare to be approved for medically necessary healthcare?
• 3.Should private services, including private health insurance, accept referrals and diagnoses from medical professionals registered in other Member States, as they would from equivalent Irish-registered medical professionals?

Submitted: 23.5.2025

• [1] Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, OJ L 88, 4.4.2011, p. 45, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/24/oj.