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THE GOVERNMENT WAS accused today of a lack of action on reducing hospital parking fees, despite this being included as a mission in its current programme for government.
A record €17.8 million in hospital parking charges was collected last year, as the amount paid by patients and visitors climbed by almost 10%.
Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane asked in the Dáil today why it has taken so long for action to be taken despite the government’s commitments, as he says the fees for hospital parking just seem to go “up and up and up”.
Helen McEntee, the foreign affairs minister, said the “programme for government is a five-year plan”.
“For many hospitals, it is revenue raising at the same time,” McEntee said.
Asked about the issue at the Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation conference today, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill told The Journal that there are “thirty-six hospitals that have a maximum daily rate. Most of them are ten euros or less. There’s a further nine hospitals that don’t have any parking charges at all”.
She continued, “I do recognise the impact of the cost on patients. In many cases, the hospital car park is operated separately to the hospital with private contracts and so on”.
The total being collected in hospital parking charges is now well over double what it was five years ago when €7.4 million was collected. The amount has increased every year for the past five years.
St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin currently has the highest level of charges, with a daily cap of €17. This was increased from €16 a day last year.
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady said it was ‘absolutely scandalous’ that over €73 million has been collected in hospital car parking charges between 2020 and 2025.
“Patients attending appointments, often for serious and long-term conditions, are being hit again and again with charges simply for accessing the care they need,” Brady said.
“It is particularly impacting those undergoing cancer treatment and others who must attend hospital on a frequent basis. These costs quickly add up and place a very real financial strain on individuals and families”.
Fianna Fáil senator Alison Comyn said in the Seanad earlier this year that patients attending chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other oncology appointments can face daily parking charges of up to €10 or more. These charges quickly accumulate over weeks and months of treatment.
The Irish Cancer Society has said that while some hospitals have abolished or reduced car parking charges for cancer patients, this is not the case in every cancer-treating hospital.
The charity says there are huge geographic disparities across Ireland in what patients are being asked to pay. It has called for a national policy on hospital car parking.
In a statement to The Journal, the Department of Health said:
“The maximum fixed daily rate for parking for patients and their families is €10 or less in all but four of 36 hospitals that charge for parking. Parking is free at a further nine hospitals.
“The majority of hospitals also have some form of exemptions/concessions in place such as the option of a flexible day pass/multi-trip entry.
“The HSE continues to keep all fees and concessions under review, in order to progress any opportunities that will ease the burden for those most affected.”
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