Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It can be an issue for families, particularly when they are already dealing with all the trauma and difficulty of undergoing cancer treatment. It can be a difficult time. We have taken important steps, some of which were called for by the Irish Cancer Society. Probably the biggest it called for was the abolition of inpatient charges. That is now fully in place, along with the expansion of 500,000 GP cards and the reduction in the drug payment scheme cap from €110 to €80. Important measures have already been taken to reduce financial costs. I acknowledge what the Deputy said, however. A small number of hospitals still charge more than the rate of €10 per day. I think there are four, but I will check. We are engaged with all of those hospitals on a number of fronts. The first is to find a way to bring the maximum amount down to €10, which is standard across most of the other hospitals. Second, for families who cannot afford it, is to find a way to make sure there is a quick and responsive system whereby they can access parking for free.

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