Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 April 2017
284. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if the policy of charging family members of critically-injured patients car parking fees in a Dublin hospital (details supplied) will be reviewed; if there has been a review of such fees being charged to outpatients with serious medical conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18558/17]
View answerThere is a significant demand for car parking at all hospitals. Consequently, the efficient management of parking spaces and traffic flow on hospital campuses is of crucial importance. This is to ensure on-going availability of parking spaces; free flow of traffic on campus; unobstructed access for emergency vehicles at all times; proper use of spaces designated for drivers with disabled permits; and proper use of spaces designated as drop off points near the hospital entrance.
Arrangements for car parking is an operational matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE has advised that it does not provide guidelines on hospital parking and each hospital/hospital group implements their own guidelines. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has also advised that income from car parking charges in most statutory hospitals and some voluntary hospitals forms an integral part of the hospitals budgetary policy and is invested back into services provided at the hospitals. Income is also used to fund the upgrade and upkeep of the car parks, including security and management systems.
In response to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly.
