HSE To Review Hospital Car Park Prices
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Why has the HSE ordered a new review of hospital parking charges?
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Let's start with that story about hospital car parking revenues for the HSC. More than s nearly seventy five million euro since twenty twenty in hospital car park charges. We've two guests gonna start with John Brady, Sinn Fein T D and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. What's your position on this?
Uh good evening, Matt. Um well I suppose the fact that the HSC have now um ordered a a new review of hospital parking charges eight years after the previous one, which was ordered by the then Minister for Health, Simon Harris, I think there's a damning indictment of the g government's complete failure to tackle the issue of the exorbitant hospital parking charges that are now being rolled out in most hospitals. hospitals throughout the state. Um and it's a case now where over time hospitals have effectively now become dependent on this uh revenue stream. And unfortunately it's patients and their loved ones being treated as a source of income to plug the gaps, substantial gaps left by the gross underfunding of hospitals right across the state.
And I think it's it's completely unacceptable that people who are already Facing illness, anxiety, and the financial pressures that go along with that matter are now again being forced to put their hands into their pockets to help make up for the government's failure to properly fund our health service. So we've seen the income coming from the hospital parking charges double over the last uh five years. Um so it is seen really as a cash cow now, going back to I I suppose patients.
What criticism does John Brady offer about the government’s handling of hospital parking fees?
And their loved ones dipping their hands in their pockets and asking them to plug the gaps in in the financial uh funding for for our hospitals. So ultimately, I don't think patients need another review, Matt. What we need is a minister that will actually act and ensure that access to health care is not determined on uh the person's ability or the family's ability ultimately to pay for for for parking at exorbitant costs uh throughout.
Okay. A hospital, depending on its location, is likely had to have different pricing. But what's the sort of typical per hour rate that would be charged and is there a cap in it over the course of a day if somebody has to leave the car there because a loved one needs somebody to be with them in the hospital?
No, so so so there's no one system throughout the the entire hospital uh system. Uh some hospitals do have uh maximum, they they cap uh the cost, some are at fifteen euro a day, some are at sixteen euro a day. And indeed one hospital, St. Vincent's uh university uh hospital in Dublin increased their maximum rate up to uh seventeen euro and that was subsequent to uh the last review. Which was supposed to see a a cap throughout all of our hospitals. So, you know, and speaking to many people there who have loved ones in hospital over a same period of time, you know, 17 euro every day um in in St. Vincent's or even fifteen euro a day in any other hospitals to have that maximum count. That's over a hundred euro a week just to visit a a loved one in hospital on top of all of
The other financial stresses uh and pressures that families endure when a a loved one is undergoing uh, you know, hospital treatment, whether it be uh cancer treatment, c chronic illnesses or any other serious uh conditions. And and these charges quickly add up and and place very, very real strains on on on families which are already in enduring so much uh during difficult times.
How do parking rates vary between hospitals and what caps currently exist?
Indeed, seventeen euro a day comes to a hundred and nineteen euro a week out of your after tax income. And of course, as you say, John, there are families who might be down on income because a person is in hospital. Emma Hart is with us as well from the Irish Cancer Society. Is this an issue that you have brought back to you on a regular basis by people who have family members living with cancer?
Hi, good afternoon. Yeah, so at the Irish Cancer Society, just time and time again we do hear from patients and their families about the financial burden associated with a cancer diagnosis.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
Why has the HSE ordered a new review of hospital parking charges?
0:00–1:46
2
What criticism does John Brady offer about the government’s handling of hospital parking fees?
1:46–3:46
3
How do parking rates vary between hospitals and what caps currently exist?
3:46–5:33
4
In what ways do hospital parking charges add to the financial burden of cancer patients and their families?
5:33–7:12
5
Are parking fees being used as a demand‑management tool, and what are the consequences?
7:12–8:34
6
What challenges arise from limited parking space and how might free or capped fees affect availability?
8:34–10:15
7
What solutions does the panel propose for eliminating or reducing hospital parking charges?
10:15–11:52
Speakers
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