Cork University Hospital took in €1.25m in parking charges in 2021 of HSE's €5.1m total
Cork University Hospital took in €1.25m in car parking charges in 2021. Picture: Dan Linehan
The HSE took in over €5 million in car parking charges at its public hospitals last year.
According to files released under Freedom of Information, the average income from parking was €244,000 per hospital.
In 2021, €5.1 million was taken in by the HSE in car parking charges in its public hospitals - which is almost identical to the previous year.
The money relates to 21 statutory hospital car parks.
By far the highest was the €1.25 million in Cork University Hospital.
That is followed by €657,000 in Galway University Hospital, and €468,000 in Waterford Regional Hospital.
Beaumont Hospital consultant, Bill Tormey, says these charges should be reduced considerably.
Mr Tormey said that abolishing charges altogether would see people freeloading in areas like Dublin, Cork and Galway.
There should be a charge to park but it should be seasonal and moderate, he said.
"I think the way it is at the moment is basically a rip-off," said Mr Tormey.
"The car parking should be a seasonal car parking arrangement and it should be a lot cheaper because people who have the unfortunate experience of having relatives or themselves having to visit a hospital for day cases have to spend an absolute fortune on car parking and they don't have it."
Aontú put forward a bill in the Dáil last month that would see the charges end for many patients attending outpatient services.
