Carlow County Council · July Meeting of Carlow County Council · 13 July 2026
A vote on a motion calling on the Minister for Health and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to urgently abolish parking charges at all public hospitals.
Summary written by AI from the minutes. The motion as recorded follows.
“That this Council calls on the Minister for Health and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to urgently abolish parking charges at all public hospitals. This Council notes: That patients, families, and visitors are being forced to pay excessive parking charges at times of illness, distress, and financial strain. That St. Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny generated €461,145 in parking revenue in 2025, an increase of over €60,000 from €397,962 in 2024, representing a rise of more than 15%. That nationally, hospital parking charges reached a record €17 million last year, marking a 140% increase from €7 million in 2021. That this sharp increase in revenue is occurring during a cost-of-living crisis, placing additional and unjust financial pressure on patients and their families. That the current approach effectively penalises people for accessing essential healthcare services. That the Programme for Government commits to “explore further ways” to reduce hospital parking fees, yet costs continue to rise significantly. The Council further recognises: That access to healthcare should be free at the point of need, including the ability to attend hospitals without incurring additional financial burdens. That many families must attend hospitals frequently due to chronic illness, disability, or long-term treatment, compounding these costs. Therefore, this Council calls on the Ministers to: Abolish parking charges for patients, families, and healthcare workers at all public hospitals as a matter of urgency. Introduce interim measures, including fee caps and free parking for long-term patients and frequent visitors, pending full abolition. Provide Exchequer funding to hospitals to replace lost parking revenue, ensuring no negative impact on hospital services. And that this motion be forwarded to the Minister for Health, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and all local authorities.”
Proposed by Cllr. J. Cassin; seconded by Cllr. A. Gladney.
The minutes record: Result: 7 For, 8 Against, 3 Absent Decision/Resolution: Motion Defeated
| Party | Tá | Níl | Staon | Didn't vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Gael | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Fianna Fáil | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Sinn Féin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Labour Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| People Before Profit-Solidarity | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
None
Tá, Níl and Staon are the minutes’ for, against and abstained. “Didn’t vote” covers councillors on the council that day whom the minutes don’t list under any option, for any reason. Parties are as of the meeting day.