Tallaght University Hospital took in €1.59 million in parking fees last year
Tallaght Hospital took in €1.59m in parking fees
Calls have been made for Tallaght University Hospital to scrap “exorbitant” charges for parking.
TUH took in just under €1.6million in parking fees in 2024, the fourth highest figure collected by hospitals around the country, and the third highest in Dublin.
The figures, released by the HSE in July, show that Cork University Hospital, St James’s University Hospital and St Vincent’s University Hospital took in in €2.3 million, €1.67 million and €1.594 million respectively.
Tallaght University Hospital took in €1.59million in revenue from car parking, a figure that Cllr Mick Duff (Ind) called “a hell of a lot of money to park cars”.
He brought a motion to the Tallaght Area Committee asking his fellow councillors “in solidarity with patients and staff… calls on the Minister for Health to increase the core funding to TUH in the Budget 2026 to allow these exorbitant parking charges to be scrapped and to stop people being penalized for being ill or carrying out their vital work”.
“If you park for example in Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown it’s €4 for four hours, that’s reasonable for any man’s language.”
Prices on the TUH website list parking costs for the hospital’s multistorey car park as €2.50 for 0-1 hour, €5 for 1-2 hours, €7.50 for 2-3 hours and €10 for 3-4 hours, the maximum day rate up to 24hrs.
Flexible day pass for multiple entries and exits in one day are €12.50 and passes for six entries within a three-month period cost €25.
“As we do not have the space to offer free parking to patients who have to stay in the hospital for a long period of time, we suggest that, where possible, you arrange with someone to bring you to and collect you from the Hospital,” the website states.
While the car park is operated by a private company, any profits made by hospitals from parking charges are kept for their own discretionary spending.
Scrapping the fees would ease the experiences for patients in the hospital, for family members waiting to hear about their loved ones, and for staff, Cllr Duff said.
The motion was agreed and supported all councillors present, including Cllr Jess Spear (PBP-S), who said while she supports arguments for parking fees as a means to encourage people to use public transport, “hospitals are a different situation”.
“Particularly if you’re going to an A&E and you’re not expecting it, you can’t necessarily hop on a bus or the Luas,” she said.
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