Campaign for Free Hospital Parking Gains Momentum

Aontú is calling for all-party support for proposed legislation to make the first three hours of hospital car parking free to patients and their families.

The Department of Health says it is working with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to explore ways to lower hospital car parking charges in line with a commitment in the Programme For Government to reduce the burden on patients and their families.

\"Hospitals that charge parking fees understand the financial burdens this can place on patients and their families,\" a Department of Health statement said.

\"Many hospitals have some form of exemptions or allowances in place such as the option of flexible day passes or multi-trip entry passes for regular hospital attenders, and various concessions based on the type of inpatient.\"

The HSE also said a national review of car parking charges is being communicated to Regional Executive Management of Health Regions, to explore ways to minimise hospital charges, as committed in the Programme for Government.

At Dublin's Mater Hospital on a weekday morning, the multi-storey car park is already full at 9.30am.

Among those lucky enough to get one of the last spaces is the daughter of a hip replacement patient who travelled from a rural area in Co Kildare to collect her elderly father.

She told RTÉ's News at One that the parking was expensive.

\"It's €3.20 an hour and you could be here for a few hours. Every time I come up it's nearly €15 per day, so if you're coming up twice or three times a week that's €30 or €40\".

Her father pointed out that public transport is not an option from their rural home.

\"I do feel it's very unfair. I've worked for forty years and paid tax,\" he said.

In a statement, the Mater Hospital said the hospital had to take out a significant loan to fund the building of the car park on Eccles Street and that the revenue from parking fees pays off the loan.

The hospital added that it shows how parking charges \"have become a complex part of hospital finances\".

The Irish Cancer Society has also long campaigned for measures to ease the financial burden on cancer patients attending hospital on a regular basis.

\"More hospitals have introduced concessions, but it still remains a postcode lottery,\" CEO of the Irish Cancer Society Averil Power said.

She said that 12 out 27 hospitals have free parking for cancer patients, while others have concessions, but some charge the full rate with charges in some parts of Dublin several times higher than the rest of the country.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín called for a uniform approach to be imposed by the Government.

He added the hospitals should be not be relying on parking charges for income.

\"Most political parties have this policy in their manifesto before they go to election,\" he said.

However, previous efforts to implement a uniform approach to hospital parking charges have gone nowhere.

In 2018, the HSE undertook a national review of car parking charges under the instructions of then health minister Simon Harris.

It proposed a cap on charges, and concessions for regular hospital users.

According to the source: RTE.ie.