Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster has welcomed the news that reduced parking charges at Lourdes Hospital for frequent users is finally to be advertised.
Deputy Munster said “After previously raising the matter in the Dáil through a parliamentary question, and lobbying the communications department in the hospital group, I am glad that finally the reduced rate will be advertised.
“Previously the Hospital Management advised that in such cases where people were hospitalised long term, the ward manager or social worker dealing with the patient, or their family, will make them aware of the provision of such arrangements and arrange for the appropriate process to be put in place.
“But I always believed that it is not good enough to expect the already hard-pushed hospital staff to be in a position to ensure that patients and their families are aware of this arrangement, nor does every patient have a social worker appointed to them.
“I raised the matter with the hospital group again earlier in the year, and after some consultation, they agreed that the reduced €4 daily rate will be advertised.
Finishing Deputy Munster said “ideally there would be no charges for patients or their families. In the 6 counties thanks to a bill passed in the Assembly by Sinn Féin, hospital car park charges will be scrapped in 2024. Here that call was also made by Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson, David Cullinane, who said the charges should be done away with here also.
“Hospital is stressful enough without having to run to feed the meter.”
