It has been reported that revenue generated from parking fees at public hospitals has doubled over a four year period.
According to figures from the HSE, Irish people have spent a €17.76 million on car park charges and voluntarily hospitals in 2025, which is a record, compared to 2021 which saw €7.39 million spent, a 140% increase over a four year period.
Since 2021, money which was gathered by public and voluntary hospitals from parking fees had increased annually, moving from €10.61 million in 2021, to €13.46 million in 2023, to €16.18 million in 2024.
It was also revealed that €73.5 million has been collected by public hospitals from parking charges since 2020.
These rising figures have come, despite a commitment in the Programme for Government last year to "explore further ways to reduce hospital car parking charges", according to reports in RTÉ.
The biggest increases were found in Cork University, as well as St James' Hospital, Tallagh University, University Hospital Limerick, Beaumont Hospital, University Hospital Waterford, with the six facilities accounting for €10.37 million between 2021 and 2025.
There is no single national contract granting the provision of car-parking services across all publicly funded hospitals with individual hospitals operating their own local arrangements.
Across the country, 36 hospital charge for parking with the maximum daily rate capped at €10 or less in all bar four of these hospitals. The parking cap at Dublin's St Vincent University Hospital was found to be the highest at €17.
At nine further hospitals, parking is free.
The HSE have said that the increased revenue since 2021 has been caused by the return to normal activity following the Covid pandemic.
However, opposition politicians and several patient advocate groups believe reform of the system is long overdue.
The figures were provided as a response to a parliamentary question posed by Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health, David Cullinane.
"Patients and families are paying the price. No one chooses cancer, dialysis or a long hospital stay. The fact is that these charges punish people for being sick. Parents visiting sick children, carers and people with disabilities are being hit again and again. Hospitals should not depend on money taken from sick people and their families," he said.
"The current system is unfair and inconsistent. We need one national policy. The Government should fund a phased end to hospital parking charges," he added.
Addressing the parking revenue at Cork University Hospital, a spokesperson for HSE South West had said there were a number of factors which influence the increase in parking revenue from 2021 to last year.
They said: "These include a reduction in parking revenue during the pandemic, and a modest increase in the number of parking spaces".
"Revenue generated from car parking is used to fund the upkeep, security, and staffing of CUH parking facilities. In recent year, parking-related expenditures have exceeded income due to necessary investments in additional parking capacity and associated services. We acknowledge that further planning and investment is needed to increase access to parking for those attending . CUH". (All quotes in this piece are according to RTÉ).
