Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have taken note of some of the Senator's concerns. I, too, have concerns about the charges in hospitals. However, there are some hospitals that have a maximum price. I can only refer to Tallaght hospital, which charges €10 for 24 hours, while St. James's Hospital charges €15 and hospitals in Cork and Limerick charge €15. A sum of €1,200 is an exorbitant amount to ask anyone to pay over any period of time when people are very sick. I know on a personal level, and I have been in this position myself, that when my brother was very seriously ill in Tallaght hospital last year and who later died, arrangements were made with the family and his eight children to be able to visit him on a frequent basis. They were very co-operative in the hospital about providing parking for them at a very low rate because his family was with him 24-7 for at least three weeks. There are ways for hospitals to look at that. What the Senator said is very relevant to some of the experiences I have had myself around the HSE not having a proper guideline for hospitals. I will raise that with the Minister myself.