Aontú’s Bill to End Hospital Parking Charges For Many Passes First Stage in the Dáil
The Aontú Bill to end Hospital Car Parking Charges for many has passed First Stage in the Dáil today. The Bill introduced by Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín TD provides for an entitlement to free parking for up to three hours in the carpark of a public hospital, where an occupant of the vehicle is attending the hospital to receive out-patient services. Speaking in the Dáil on the Bill, an Teachta Tóibín stated:
“Since 2012, Hospital Car Parks across the country taken in over €100 million in receipts from car parking and clamping charges. This money has come obviously from the pockets of patients, many of whom can least afford it. What is often forgotten when speaking about patients especially cancer, heart disease, stroke and Mental Health patients is the financial toll it can take on individuals and families. The Irish Cancer Society estimate that having Cancer costs between €860 per month, to €1,200 in some cases. This is discounting the €1,400 a month drop in income faced by three in five cancer patients. This includes what can often be very long journeys to and from treatment, hotel or B&B overnights. Or Even child-minding costs. Hospital Car Parking Charges are a Tax on seriously ill individuals who are already hammered with increased expenses relating to their illness and a fall in income. Health provision and the cost of it should be borne by taxation and central government. The reason why Hospital Car Parking Charges exist is because previous governments have shirked their responsibility to properly fund Hospitals. “
“The Irish Cancer Society has campaigned for a cut in hospital car parking charges. Paying car parking charges when you are attending out patients services or emergency services at your local hospital is an additional stress and pressure for many people. These charges are especially financially hard on cancer patients and patients who are critically ill, as many of them will have to regularly attend hospital for treatment. At the very least in our Health Service, cancer patients and critically ill patients should not have to worry about parking charges whilst they are in receiving vital treatment. The Irish Cancer Society’s “Real Costs of Cancer” report in 2016 stated that 80% of patients were paying at least €60 a month. If you have a serious long term health issue that means that regularly over a year, Car parking fees could cost you €700. Incredibly parking charges can be as high as €4 an hour in some hospitals.”
“Public hospitals earned just over €12million from car parking fees this year. Beaumont Hospital made €30,000 per week from charges. In 2017 It was estimated that Hospitals were making 60,000 a day from charges. In 2018, the then Minister for Health Simon Harris announced a review of hospital car parking charges. The recommendations from this review have never been publish. It was suggested that hospital car parking charges were due to be capped at €10 a day yet my understanding is many hospitals have not complied with this. Before the last election Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Labour promised either to cap Hospital car parking charges or provide free parking for patients, yet this has not happened yet.”
“The Aontú Bill provides for an entitlement to free parking for up to three hours in the carpark of a public hospital, where an occupant of the vehicle is attending the hospital to receive out-patient services. We urge the TDs of other parties to support the Aontú Bill through the Dáil as fast as possible.”
Hospital Parking Bill 2021
Explanatory Memorandum re Hospital Parking Bill 2021
