Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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345. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of abolishing inpatient charges for cancer patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41744/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Act 1970 (as amended) provides that all persons ordinarily resident in the country are eligible, subject to certain charges, to public in-patient hospital services. The current public hospital statutory in-patient charge is €80 per day, subject to a maximum of €800 in any period of 12 consecutive months. All persons accessing public in-patient services in a public hospital are liable for the statutory public-inpatient charge, subject to a number of exemptions, including where a person is a medical cardholder. There are currently no plans to exempt further categories of patients from the public in-patient charge.

Hospital charges represent a nominal yet important contribution towards the cost of providing public hospital services. Any curtailment of this funding stream would put further pressure on the Exchequer and the taxpayer in order to maintain service levels.

In terms of the cost of abolishing the in-patient charge for the category of patient specified by the Deputy, I have referred this question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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346. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of abolishing inpatient charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41745/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In 2018 the HSE estimates that €23 million will be raised through the statutory in-patient charge, and a further €16m through the out-patient charge in Acute Hospitals.

A further €15m is estimated to be raised in the community sector.

Therefore it would cost approximately €54m to abolish these charges.