Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, for coming to the House. I want to ask for a review of parking charges at HSE hospitals across the country to ensure low-cost parking is available to patients and visitors to the public hospital system. I also want to ask if any single organisation has a contract with the HSE to charge for parking and-or clamping on hospital grounds. Will the Minister of State inform us of the cost of such contracts and make a statement on the matter?

I spoke about this in a different context prior to getting elected to the Seanad in my role as secretary of the National Association of General Practitioners. I felt many patients were attending hospitals unnecessarily for investigations that could happen in the community. Various investigations into hospital car parking fees have shown a severe lack of consistency in the rates being charged across the country. To give some examples, there is a charge of €3 per hour at the Mater Hospital, with a maximum charge of €15 per day; it is €2.70 per hour at Cork University Hospital, with a maximum charge of €15 per day; it is €2 per hour at University Hospital Galway, with a €9 daily rate and a rate of €30 for one week; and at Kerry Hospital, the first 20 minutes is free, 20 minutes to one hour is €3 and there is a €12 daily rate.

As the House can see, due to the lack of regulation, there are vast differences across the State. Going by the above figures, the average daily rate is €10 or €70 per week. This is a lot of money for many families and particularly for long-term patients. I appreciate that many hospitals have special consideration for people who require longer-term parking but there are also many instances where hospitals are not identifying people in need of special discounts.

This unpopular charge is generating millions of euro of income for hospitals. For example, Cork University Hospital was the highest earner, collecting over €2.8 million last year from car park fees, working out at an average of €8,000 per day, University Hospital Waterford collected €1.48 million, Wexford Hospital collected €700,000 and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children collected €349,000. These fees are causing increased distress to the sick and their relatives and are an active deterrent to people visiting hospitals. Those who have long-term illnesses may need to spend several hours in a car park, and it is, in effect, a tax on a sick person. There are certain hospitals which add to the distress by imposing clamping fees but the release charge also varies and can be as high as €120 in some hospitals.My colleagues throughout the country have brought this up time and again. For example, Councillor Norma Foley, a Fianna Fáil councillor in Kerry, has said it is no longer simply an issue for the people visiting the hospital, but one for the entire community surrounding the hospital. In housing estates in the vicinity of the hospitals residents are struggling to get parking at their houses as a result of the area being overrun with traffic. There is a knock-on impact as a result of the fees.

Some people have tried to justify the charges with the argument that they are necessary to deter motorists who are working or shopping from using the car parks for free at the expense of spaces for patients and visitors. If this is the case, then the costs should be nominal. Could we consider a flat nominal nationwide fee? Could we have a barcode system whereby if a patient receives an outpatient appointment, at the bottom of the letter a barcode could facilitate access to a car park and give the patient two or three hours of free parking while attending the hospital.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am taking it on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Harris, who apologises for not being here.

I will set out the background. Over the past decade parking charges have been introduced in many of our hospitals. It is important to note that these parking charges form part of a series of measures to ensure that the operational costs of providing parking services do not impact negatively on a hospital's overall budget. As we are all aware, there is a considerable and increasing demand for parking services at our hospitals. Consequently, the costs associated with providing these parking services are significant. This is especially the case when we take into account the initial capital costs of purchasing or renting parking areas, the cost of developing extra parking spaces, the need to provide and upgrade security systems in hospital car parks as well as the cost of staffing and general maintenance of parking services. I imagine we would all agree that it is important that the cost of providing parking services to visitors, staff and patients does not impact on a hospital's budget for providing health services.

The HSE has advised that it does not have a single contract to provide parking services at all hospitals. Instead, each hospital has a unique arrangement which reflects its specific circumstances. For example, Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, the National Maternity Hospital and Mercy University Hospital, Cork, do not provide public car parks. Furthermore, some hospitals, such as St. Luke's Hospital, Rathgar, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway, and Mallow General Hospital, do not charge a car parking fee.

I am advised by the HSE that a number of hospitals use parking revenue solely for maintenance and re-investment in parking facilities, including repayment of loans obtained for upgrading such facilities and investment in security. The remainder of hospitals use parking revenue to cover the cost of parking services, with any additional income being used to contribute to the general hospital budget or to fund research or specific patient facilities. I am aware that those hospitals which charge parking fees are cognisant of the financial implications of parking costs for patients and their families. Consequently, hospitals have introduced a maximum daily fixed parking charge, thus capping this expense. While there is no national HSE policy governing car parking charges, the HSE advises me that it keeps hospital parking charges under review. In that regard I would advise Senator Swanick to send any specific recommendations directly to the HSE or the individual hospitals.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator, are you satisfied?

Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the response of the Minister of State. I wish to highlight the fact that we need an alternative and fairer system. Vulnerable patients are being penalised unfairly, especially elderly patients who may need to visit hospitals for outpatient appointments on a frequent basis. I will follow up with the HSE with regard to introducing a flat nominal fee throughout the country.