Bring your GP's letter to A&E: it saves you €100. The €100 covers the first visit for an illness or injury; follow-up clinic visits for the same problem are free.
Quick facts
- In-patient stay (public)
- Free since 17 April 2023
- A&E, no GP letter
- €100
- Injury unit
- €75
- With a medical card
- Free
- GP-referred out-patient
- Free
- Under 6 weeks old
- Free
Staying in hospital
"Public in-patient and day service fees were abolished on 17 April 2023." If you choose to be a private patient in a public hospital, you pay the room charge and the consultant, which insurance may cover.
A&E and injury units
"If you attend an emergency department without being referred there by a GP, there is a charge of €100." "There is no charge if you are referred by a GP (bring your referral letter with you)."
"The charge to attend an injury unit is €75." "You do not have to pay the charge if you have a medical card or if you have a referral letter from a GP." Injury units treat broken bones, sprains, wounds and minor burns.
"If you have to return for further visits to an out-patient clinic in relation to the same illness or accident, you should not have to pay the charge again."
Who never pays the A&E charge
- Medical card holders
- Anyone admitted as an in-patient from A&E
- Babies up to 6 weeks old, and children referred from child health or school checks
- Children with certain conditions, including cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, haemophilia and cerebral palsy
- Women getting maternity care
- People with a Health Amendment Act Card
"The HSE has the discretion to reduce or waive the charges in cases of hardship."
Out-patients and mental health
"If you are referred by your GP to attend this service as a public patient, you do not have to pay for this service." "Out-patient services for mental illness are provided free of charge to children aged under 16 years."
Common questions
Do you have to pay to stay in a public hospital in Ireland?
No, not as a public patient. Public in-patient and day service fees were abolished on 17 April 2023.
How much is A&E in Ireland?
€100 if you go without a GP referral. It's free with a GP letter or a medical card.
How much does an injury unit cost?
€75, or nothing with a medical card or a GP referral letter.
Do I pay the A&E charge again for follow-up visits?
No, not for further out-patient visits about the same illness or accident.