Hospital parking charges are putting an unnecessary burden on seriously ill patients and their families according to a local TD.
Deputy Michael Lowry has called on the government to scrap charges for the likes of cancer patients.
He highlighted in the Dáil that despite commitments given on numerous occasions nothing has happened.
“Some patients require daily treatments and these parking charges can run to €100’s every month. Patients who are very ill have to cope with physical and emotional trauma – it is unjust to impose an additional financial strain on already vulnerable people. So Minister I’m asking you that government would do the right thing and scrap these charges.”
In reply Minister Stephen Donnelly pointed out that a number steps have already been taken including the abolition of in-patient charges and the expansion of GP cards.
“There’s a very small number of hospitals now that charge more than €10 a day – I think it’s about four but I’ll check that. We’re engaged with all of those hospitals on a number of fronts. First of all to find a way to bring that maximum amount down to €10 which is what’s standard across most of the other hospitals. And secondly for those families who really can’t afford it to make sure that there’s a very quick and responsive to make sure quick and responsive system whereby they can access the parking for free.”
