No. 15/1996:

HEALTH (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1996

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1 Short title, collective citation, construction and commencement.

2 Provision of health services without charge to certain persons who have contracted hepatitis C.

AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE MAKING AVAILABLE WITHOUT CHARGE OF CERTAIN HEALTH SERVICES TO CERTAIN PERSONS WHO HAVE CONTRACTED HEPATITIS C.

[26th June, 1996]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Health (Amendment) Act, 1996 .

(2) The Health Acts, 1970 to 1994, and this Act may be cited together as the Health Acts, 1970 to 1996, and shall be construed together as one Act.

(3) This Act shall come into operation on such day as may be fixed therefor by the Minister by order.

2.— (1) A health board shall make available without charge to per- Provision of health sons who, in the opinion of the chief executive officer of the board have contracted hepatitis C directly or indirectly from the use of Human Immunoglobulin-Anti-D or the receipt within the State of contracted another blood product or a blood transfusion and to persons of such other classes (if any) as may be prescribed—

( a ) general practitioner medical and surgical services, in relation to all medical conditions, provided by registered medical practitioners (within the meaning of the Medical Practitioners Act, 1978 ) chosen by the persons,

( b ) drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances,

( c ) the nursing service specified in section 60 of the Act of 1970,

( d ) the service specified in section 61 of the Act of 1970,

( e ) dental, ophthalmic and aural treatment and dental, optical and aural appliances,

( f ) counselling services in respect of hepatitis C, and

( g ) such other services as may be prescribed.

(2) In this section "the Act of 1970" means the Health Act, 1970 .

ACTS REFERRED TO