Council decides to end free parking near hospitals for Dublin health care workers

DUBLIN City Council has decided to end free parking for healthcare workers near hospitals.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis in March the council instructed clampers to exercise discretion on the streets near hospitals.

It was decided not to take enforcement action against vehicles belonging to HSE staff which were parked on-street in the vicinity of hospitals with limited off-street parking.

A memo sent this week however by Dublin City Council Executive Owen Keegan to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, and other representative groups and public representatives, confirmed that parking enforcement for healthcare workers will resume from September 1.

“It has been decided, with considerable regret, that the enforcement concession in respect of HSE staff parking in the vicinity of hospitals, cannot be sustained,” Keegan wrote in the memo.

“The non-enforcement of paid parking restrictions in respect of vehicles owned by HSE staff, parked in the vicinity of hospitals was always intended to be a temporary measure.

“At the time it was introduced it was not a major issue in the various locations where it applied, as there was limited demand for on-street parking.

“However, with the resumption in economic activity there has been a significant recovery in traffic volumes and in on-street parking demand.

“This has led to a situation where residents with Residents Parking Permits, living in the vicinity of major hospitals, cannot access on-street parking at or close to their homes at certain times.”

Keegan concluded by saying it has been decided “with considerable regret” that the concession will end on August 31.

Mary Rose Carroll, Industrial Relations Officer with Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said the decision from Dublin City Council puts the onus on employers to provide parking.

“It has been an exceptionally stressful time in the health service, and the provision of parking has made a big difference,” she said.

“Nurses and midwives have shown incredible commitment during the pandemic, taking great risks to provide care.

“It is unreasonable that they should have to pay over €35 a day to simply park at work,”

“Due to late shifts, fatigue, and infection risk, public transport isn’t an option for many of our members.

“Even if society is slowly normalising, Covid hasn’t gone away.

“We understand the council is under pressure, but now the onus is on the employers to either provide parking directly or make an arrangement with the council to ensure there are still parking options.”