Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of the State for the response she gave on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris. I understand that she is not actually the Minister, as she said. I refer to recouping costs and obviously that has to be part of the overall picture. There will be costs of security and it is important that they are maintained. I anticipated the answer I received because I said in my speech that I know that the HSE is going to say that it does not actually manage the hospitals. I suppose I have to take the answer at face value.

What I would like and will request from the Department is an outline of what is being charged at a discount rate for the hospitals which the Minister, Deputy Harris, says is actually happening. It is stated in the reply that hospitals have introduced a maximum daily fixed parking charge, thus capping this expense. I am aware of that but I am not aware that it happens in all hospitals. I would like to see that is definitely in place but also what it means in real terms for families of patients. I will follow up with the Department in that regard separately. I request that the HSE and the Minister, who is in charge of everything related to health care, do everything to ensure the private companies which are in operation in hospitals are given guidelines or regulations to ensure people are not charged an excessive amount when their loved ones are in hospital.