Proof of being "ordinarily resident in Ireland"

MurdyWurdy

I have my first antenatal appointment in Holles Street in December - the forms etc arrived today. One of the documents say ithat you have to bring proof that you have been resident in Ireland for the last year (like a P60 or rent book) and then has lots of information for non-Irish citizens. It says at the end that if you don't have one of these documents you have to pay for your maternity care and they need a deposit of e2000!

I moved back to Ireland a few months ago after living abroad for the last few years and now I'm worried we'll have to pay for my maternity care. I will have been back a year by the time the baby is born but as of now, it's only a few months. I am an Irish citizen - has anyone else been asked to provide this document?

The HSE website says that ordinarily resident means that you have been in Ireland for a year or intend to live here for another year but Holles Street don't seem to have the same criteria. I'll call them tomorrow but I was hoping someone here might be able to give me some peace of mind in the meantime. Myself and my husband are both working and contributing to the economy, it seems a bit unfair if we have to pay for maternity care when nearly everyone else gets it for free, just because we left Ireland for a few years.

Digs

I had my booking appointment last week with holles street and the midwife didn't ask me for anything relating to that..

I know the sheet you are referring to and I thought it was quite confusing and not very clear but myself and my husband took it to apply to non nationals..but am well open to correction!

I wouldn't worry about it but you could always ring them to clarify it doesn't apply to you?

ArthurG

I remember seeing an article about this in the Irish Times a while back. Basically returning emigrants who had been outside the country for 3 or more tax years aren't necessarily entitled to welfare, if I remember correctly.

A Quick Google will bring up lots of info, and it seems to suggest that to qualify for state health care you must be 'Ordinarily resident in Ireland", defined as:

"Ordinary residence

An individual becomes ordinarily resident in Ireland if she has been tax resident here for each of the three immediately preceding tax years.

Once a person becomes ordinarily resident, she will continue to be ordinarily resident here until she has been non-resident for three consecutive income tax years."

Have a look at this:

Link

Rachineire

I think if you are a citizen then you are entitled to free care regardless. I am a resident, been here 2 1/2 the only thing I needed to prove ordinary residency was lease agreement, bank statement, employment contract. Any of those things would probably do. I would give citizens information a ring to be on the safe side.

MurdyWurdy

Rachineire wrote: »

I think if you are a citizen then you are entitled to free care regardless. I am a resident, been here 2 1/2 the only thing I needed to prove ordinary residency was lease agreement, bank statement, employment contract. Any of those things would probably do. I would give citizens information a ring to be on the safe side.

Thanks - I'll see what the hospital say first and then get further advice if we need to. I'm hoping the advice is just for non-nationals and it's reassuring to hear that other people have had their first appointment and not been asked to provide any documentation.

I agree with one of the posts above, it's not very clear at all what they are saying with the document. It's just strange that Holles st are saying you have to be ordinarily resident and that means you have lived here for a year but the HSE definition is that you have lived here for a year or intend to live here for at least a year. I'm back here for good now so that does apply to us. although the only document I have to prove that is my employment contract and that's not a permanent job, I'm covering someone's maternity leave (ironically enough!).

All of the baby stuff going on is confusing enough without being sent vague documents from the hospital! Although, I have to say Holles st have been very good otherwise when I rang because I didn't know where to start with getting booked in!

MurdyWurdy

ArthurG wrote: »

I remember seeing an article about this in the Irish Times a while back. Basically returning emigrants who had been outside the country for 3 or more tax years aren't necessarily entitled to welfare, if I remember correctly.

A Quick Google will bring up lots of info, and it seems to suggest that to qualify for state health care you must be 'Ordinarily resident in Ireland", defined as:

"Ordinary residence

An individual becomes ordinarily resident in Ireland if she has been tax resident here for each of the three immediately preceding tax years.

Once a person becomes ordinarily resident, she will continue to be ordinarily resident here until she has been non-resident for three consecutive income tax years."

Have a look at this:

Link

Thanks for the advice but I'm pretty sure that relates to being tax resident for welfare purposes - the HSE seem to have their own definition of what ordinarily resident means. If that is true, it's seems crazy. It would be completely ridiculous if you weren't entitled to maternity care until you had been home for three years. I'm sure a lot of women are like me and want to come home to Ireland to raise their family where they have the support from family and friends that they need. Seems silly to discriminate like that against Irish citizens, I understand that I haven't paid taxes here for a few years but I did before we left and I do now.

MurdyWurdy

So, hospital told me not to worry. They said to bring evidence I'll be here for a year (employment contract, rent book) but if I don't have any of those to bring my pps number and I'll be fine