Hospital charge change 'proof' of Fianna Fáil support for healthcare insists Laois Minister

Legislation to abolish adult public in-patient hospital charges in public hospitals from April 2023 shows Fianna Fáil is improving healthcare that is becoming free in hospitals and other settings, according to the party's Laois TD..

Minister of State in the Department of Foreign Affairs Seán Fleming made the claim on welcoming the passing of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2023 in the Dáil Eireann. He said the legislation removes the acute public in-patient hospital charge of €80 per day up to a maximum of €800 in a year (including day case charges), for people accessing care as a public patient in all public hospitals. 

“I’m delighted to see this legislation which will allow for the abolition of adult public in-patient charges in public hospitals from April.  This will mean that there will no longer be a charge per night for people staying overnight in public hospitals. 

"This is a very welcome measure and is proof of Fianna Fáil’s support for strengthening and improving healthcare in the country while moving to healthcare being completely free at the point of delivery," said the Laois Offaly TD.

He added that this measure builds on the abolition of public in-patient charges for children under 16, which the Minister for Health introduced in September last year. Minister Fleming said this is another significant step in ensuring that people have access to affordable healthcare services.

The TD said all persons ordinarily resident in Ireland are eligible for public hospital services and as public patients were up to now subject to a statutory public in-patient charge of €80 per night.  He said medical card holders and certain groups of people were already exempt from these charges.  He said primary legislation was needed to set out the legislative amendments required to the Health Act 1970 to abolish the public in-patient charge.

Minister Fleming added that funding was provided in Budget 2023 to abolish the acute public in-patient charge for patients in public hospitals. 

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He said the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Act 2022, enacted last year removes the acute public in-patient charge of €80 per day (including day-case charges for children under 16 years of age in all public hospitals.  This measure came into effect from 21st September 2022.