Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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I have raised the issue of clamping in hospitals with the Minister previously. People in the Blanchardstown area have particular experience of it. Many people who have been to the hospital as patients or visitors and have had to stay longer than expected, perhaps because they were not in a position to leave, have come out of the hospital to find their cars clamped. This has happened quite regularly. It is one of the most despicable things I have seen. We should be able to legislate to provide for a mechanism that would stop this from happening. People could be allowed to make their case at a later stage. Many people who are still quite sick when they are discharged from hospital need to get out of the hospital to go home, but they cannot do so because their cars have been clamped. We should facilitate them in getting home quickly, while enabling any issues that arise to be taken up at a later stage. A fine could be imposed or something like that could be done. Someone who was delayed in the hospital would be able to appeal it. The practice to which I refer has become fairly widespread in public and private hospitals. I wonder if there is any way it can be addressed. I know the Minister was not keen to address it the last time. This is a very big issue for many people.