European Health Insurance Card (Ireland/EU) The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) provides access to free or reduced cost  public healthcare for necessary treatment while temporarily in the countries of the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. A short term stay is generally accepted as less than 3 months, but students studying abroad Read more >

There are over 350 GP Practices throughout Northern Ireland. Your local doctor, also known as a general practitioner (GP), provides a wide range of services including advice on health problems, physical examinations, diagnosis of symptoms, the prescribing of medication and other treatments.  Each GP practice has a copy of a practice leaflet which will tell Read more >

General Practitioner (GP) is the official term for the doctor who provides services to people in his/her surgery or in the patient’s home. Most people simply refer to GPs as their doctor or family doctor. Most GPs in Ireland provide services to both medical card holders and private patients. Source: – Citizens Information – GP services Read more >

The HSE provides a wide range of services for people growing older in Ireland. Services for Older People in Ireland – is designed to guide you to the services you or a loved one may need. These might include finding your local public health nurse, learning about day services in your area, applying for your Read more >

There is a wide range of services for older residents of Northern Ireland, usually accessed via their GP as a first point of contact, with possible further referrals to a number of specialist services where appropriate.  NI Direct  provides an overview of health provision in Northern Ireland. Healthcare, GP access and hospital care are all Read more >

On 31st December 2020, the Brexit transition period ended which affects access to healthcare for some frontier workers. Irish, British & EU citizens who were frontier workers by end of 2020 If you are an Irish, British or EU citizen and started a cross-border job by 31st December 2020 then the Withdrawal Agreement applies to Read more >

If you are too ill to work, and provided you have paid sufficient social insurance contributions (PRSI and/or National Insurance contributions) you can apply for Illness Benefit from the Department of Social Protection.  For further information please visit the Department for Social Protection / Illness  Benefit  Cross-border applications Social security coordination rules between the UK Read more >

Employment and Support Allowance is paid to eligible people who cannot work because of illness or disability. For further information please contact the Department for Communities or telephone 0800 085 6318 from the North, or 0044800 085 6318 from the South. Cross-border issues Living South, Working North When a cross border worker becomes ill they Read more >

Maternity Leave For employees, Statutory Maternity Leave is 52 weeks. You must meet notice conditions, including letting your employer know you are pregnant and telling them, by the end of the 15th week before your baby is due, when you want to take your maternity leave. It can be at any time on, or after, Read more >

Maternity Leave All female employees, no matter how long they have been working, are entitled to take maternity leave for a basic period of  26 weeks.  At least two weeks have to be taken before the end of the week of your baby’s expected birth and at least four weeks taken after.  You can also Read more >