‘Despicable’: Cork University Hospital shell out €315k to chase up unpaid fees  

Cork University Hospital (CUH) has spent nearly eight times as much as the average Irish hospital on debt collectors since 2023, with a bill of over €315,000 to chase unpaid fees.

The hospital’s use of debt collectors has been branded as “despicable”. 

HSE figures show that from the start of 2023 to November 2025, CUH spent €315,411 on debt collectors, considerably higher than any other Irish hospital.

It spent €70,874 on debt collectors in 2025 to November; €127,188 in 2024, and €117,349 in 2023. Cork University Maternity Hospital spent a further €1,869 over the near-three-year period.

The CUH total is more than three times the next highest of €99,506 at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. The 11-month total CUH spent in 2025 is higher than the three-year totals for 17 of 27 Irish hospitals on the list.

The data was provided to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. The HSE told him: “With effect from April 17, 2023, there are no hospital charges for public inpatient care or day service care.

Charge

“Patients who attend at public hospitals are, depending on their eligibility and subject to certain exemptions, liable to statutory charges.” This includes a €100 charge for an emergency department attendance.

“The HSE has a statutory obligation to levy and collect these charges, and hospitals have the discretion to operate instalment payment plans where appropriate.”

“Debt collection continues to be managed at a local hospital level.

“Hospitals are required to refer an unpaid debt to a collection agency after a period of time from date of billing,” said the HSE.

“Hospitals are mindful in implementing these processes that patients may be experiencing stress and or financial challenges and encourage patients who are having difficulties fulfilling their debt to make contact with the hospital to which the debt is owed in order to make alternative arrangements for the payment of outstanding bills.

“If hospitals are made aware or become aware of such challenges, agreements may be reached between the patient and hospital on a case by case basis and debt collectors are not included in the process.”

Despicable 

Cork Social Democrats TD and chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, Pádraig Rice, told The Echo: “The hiring of debt collectors is not only a poor use of public money, it is a despicable practice used to intimidate patients for the non-payment of unfair charges. It must be abolished.

“While the removal of inpatient charges in April 2023 was a very welcome development, and a real sign of Sláintecare in action.

“However, It is deeply regrettable that the HSE is still relying on debt collectors to relentlessly pursue patients for outstanding inpatient charges and emergency department fees.

“I am particularly concerned that Cork University Hospital has now topped the list for payments to debt collectors for three consecutive years.

“Having spent the most on hounding patients with debt collectors is hardly a record to be proud of.”