Join family (Sponsor is an Irish citizen) - is private health insurance required?

[phs343434]

I am Irish, and my wife (Philippines) just arrived in Ireland after being granted the D visa (Join family (Sponsor is an Irish citizen))

We have an appointment to register for immigration permission for the first time, to get IRP card.

In the appointment email it says to visit this website to see the documents required....

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/registe ... ts/#stamp4

In the part headed - 3) As you live with your spouse/ civil partner who is an Irish citizen. It says:
"Private Medical Insurance or Travel Insurance with medical cover for accidents and medical incident including hospital stays in Ireland, valid for 12 months, or if less than 12 months for the duration of your stay."

I have seen posts in this forum and elsewhere that says for anyone on the (Join family (Sponsor is an Irish citizen)) that private health insurance is not required.

Can anyone who is in the same situation please let me know:
Is health insurance needed?
Can she use public health services for free or at a reduced cost?

[meself2]

Can she use public health services for free or at a reduced cost?

No.

[phs343434]

Thanks. I wonder why you said no, please?

If she is working and paying all her taxes, etc., why would she need to depend solely on private health insurance?

I see on the www.citizensinformation.ie site it says:

"Everyone ordinarily resident in Ireland are entitled to a range of public health services either free of charge or at reduced cost."

Then it defines ordinarily resident here https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/h ... es/#094550 as...

...
What is ordinary residence?
If you are coming to live in Ireland or returning here to live, you must satisfy the Health Service Executive (HSE) that you are ordinarily resident – that you have been living in Ireland for at least a year or you intend to live here for at least one year.

To check that you are ordinarily resident the HSE may ask for:

Proof of property purchase or rental, including evidence that the property is your principal residence (for example, proof of rent from the local authority)
A letter or statement from a financial institution (for example a bank statement or credit union statement)
A current utility bill (such as a gas, electricity or phone bill)
A current car or home insurance policy in your name
An official document from a government department (for example, a notice of assessment from Revenue or proof of rent from the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme)
...

She intends to stay in Ireland for more than one year and has a bank letter, electric bill, and rental property in her name. Therefore, she is ordinarily resident.

I am unclear why the immigration are saying private health insurance is needed.

[shpirtshqipe]

The conditions in which she has arrived in Ireland is through you, the sponsor. As such you as sponsor in the eyes of INIS should be able to support her without recourse to public funds until such time that she obtains permanent residence I believe. Your spouse’s current permission is temporary meaning it is not a guaranteed right of residing in Ireland thus the requirement for private health insurance. Failure to not have private insurance, might result in her application being refused on the alleged grounds of possibly circumventing immigration laws to access free healthcare.

[phs343434]

Hi, thanks, very helpful.

Therefore she has residence with an IRP card, but it's not permanent residence.

What needs to happen to get permanent residence?