Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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901. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department issues guidance to hospitals and car park operators in respect of waiving parking fees for individuals who are admitted as in-patients without prior notice and who are experiencing financial hardship. [39710/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that hospitals that charge parking fees are very cognisant of the financial implications of parking costs for patients and their families.

Consequently, many hospitals have introduced a maximum daily fixed parking charge and reduced rate parking for long-term patients and visitors for whom the payment of the full rate would cause hardship.

The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, makes a commitment to introduce a maximum daily car parking charge for patients and visitors at all public hospitals, where possible, and to introduce flexible passes in all public hospitals for patients and their families. This is a reflection of the Government’s appreciation of the financial challenge that can be faced by people in meeting these expenses, in particular where they are frequent users of hospital services. Accordingly, my Department and the HSE are currently examining the issue.