SICK CAR PARK CHARGES
EXCLUSIVE: Fury as hospital patients and visitors pay up to €3.20 an hour
HOSPITALS have come under fire for continuing to charge controversial car parking fees during the pandemic.
An Irish Mirror investigation found this can be as much as €3.20 an hour.
Fianna Fail’s Stephen Donnelly said: “I simply don’t believe it is right. People have enough strife to be dealing with.”
A further 11 patients with Covid-19 have died here, bringing the total to 1,592.
Profit-hungry hospitals have been slammed for charging patients, visitors and even parents of sick children parking fees during the Covid-19 emergency.
Fianna Fail’s health spokesman Stephen Donnelly said now is the time to call a halt to the despicable rip-offs.
An Irish Mirror investigation has discovered all of the hospital groups are continuing with controversial car parking charges as the pandemic continues to rage. The shocking fees being charged during the epidemic can start at €2 for just 25 minutes and €3.20 for an hour.
And even though the streets are relatively empty, the clampers are back in action in Dublin city and you will get caught if you park outside a hospital on the public road.
The HSE issued a directive at the start of March for all hospitals to provide free parking for staff during Covid-19.
But that’s as far as the hospitals went, and the Irish Mirror has discovered they are all continuing to charge vulnerable patients and visitors.
The prices can be as much as €3.20 for under an hour and there are very few exemptions for patients, or even parents visiting an ill child.
Mr Donnelly said he was sick to hear of the latest profiteering and he believes now is the time to call on all hospitals to scrap parking charges.
He added: “We would remove all parking charges for everybody in hospitals, it’s something that we called for in our manifesto because I simply don’t believe it is right to charge people when they are in a hospital.
“People have enough strife to be dealing with when they are in hospital or are visiting a loved one, especially during this emergency we are now in.
“And I think it’s ridiculous that the hospitals didn’t go further after they were ordered to implement free parking for staff by the HSE.
“So I would encourage all of the hospitals still charging in their car parks to act now, cancel parking
charges, take it on board themselves because it’s just not right.
“It’s something [parking for charging] that I think should just not be happening.”
The circular to all seven hospital groups read: “The HSE has today [Thursday, 19th March 2020] directed hospitals and healthcare facilities to immediately suspend parking charges for staff for the duration of the Covid-19 National Public Health Emergency.”
HSE chief Paul Reid added: “I have been overwhelmed by the dedication, support and professionalism of all our staff in helping to contain the Covid-19 outbreak to date.
“As we face into a very difficult period, it is only right that we make every effort to ensure that staff are supported in their work.
“Therefore I have directed today that all hospitals and healthcare facilities suspend parking charges for staff for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis, as a small mark of our gratitude for their efforts.”
The hospitals most expensive prices are for short stays with €2 if you have to stay a minute past 20 minutes and €4 then for the hour at University of Limerick Hospital.
Dublin’s Mater Hospital’s parking is run by Euro Car Parks and the rate there is €3.20 for an hour.
There are concessions for heavy parking users and weekly passes as well as compassion passes if you are visiting an end-oflife patient.
Some hospitals have a no-visitor policy in place for the duration of the coronavirus emergency. There are a total of 49 hospitals in the country and they are divided into the seven hospital management groups.
The HSE does not have direct control over them all but they basically pay all the bills of the hospitals and the salaries of everyone working in them.
All seven hospital groups said in a statement that they are complying with the HSE directive to provide free parking for staff.
I would encourage hospitals to act now.. it just isn’t right
STEPHEN DONNELLY
YESTERDAY
Is is only right that we make every effort to support staff
PAUL REID HSE BOSS ON
MARCH 19
It was bad enough they were charging extortionate car parking fees in normal times but it is outrageous they are doing so in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic.
What these medical establishments are doing is akin to preying on their patients and their families.
The situation can be compared to a company that is price-gouging its customers – but in such a case those availing of the service could opt for another provider.
The option of using public transport to go to a hospital is difficult enough at the best of times but during a pandemic it is next to impossible.
Those using these facilities will have enough stress and anxiety without worrying about racking up car park charges, especially when more than a million people are dependent on some form of State benefit.
The hospitals are providing free car parking for staff during the Covid-19 crisis but only after being ordered to do so by the HSE.
Hospital car parks are there for the convenience of staff, patients and their families not for their exploitation. Free parking in hospital car parks must now be extended to all those who have a legitimate reason to use them.