Call for free parking discs
COUNCILLOR Tom MacSharry has called for a Government subsidy to be set up to fund free parking for cancer patients at Sligo University Hospital.
“We all feel strongly that no cancer patients should be burnt (with parking fees),” he told last week’s meeting of Sligo Municipal District at City Hall.
He tabled a motion calling on the Council to support the Irish Cancer Society and call on Health Minister Simon Harris to instruct the HSE to abolish car parking charges for cancer patients at Sligo.
He also called for a free parking disc system for cancer patients, something already in place in hospitals in Wexford, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford.
“I would have no problem with some sort of subsidy for a disc system,” he told members.
“I don’t think any cancer patient should be burnt with parking charges,” he said, adding that free parking charges for cancer patients should also be a standard policy nationally.
Cllr MacSharry said patients shouldn’t have to approach medical staff to see about getting passes, as is the current situation. “There’s nothing concrete about parking in Sligo. There’s ambiguity in relation to it and there shouldn’t be,” he said.
He was supported by Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Seamus Kilgannon, who said hospital parking charges in Sligo were “shocking”, particularly if people were paying by the day. He felt free parking should not just be confined to cancer patients.
Councillor Marie Casserly reminded members that she had put down a motion on the same issue last year which was passed: “A year is a long time to have this unresolved. People have enough to worry about without car parking charges,” she said.
Mayor of Sligo Municipal District Councillor Hubert Keaney agreed with Cllr Kilgannon, that “it shouldn’t be restricted to cancer patients.”
“Whatever system is brought in, it should be across the board,” he told the meeting.
“There’s no reason why this should not be operated in Sligo,” concluded Cllr MacSharry.
Hospitals which provide free parking to cancer patients include: Letterkenny, Castlebar, Portiuncula, Kerry, Tullamore, Limerick, St Luke’s Rathgar, St Luke’s Kilkenny, Wexford and Connolly hospital Dublin. It costs ¤3 for four hours parking at Sligo hospital currently.