Parking income at UHW (University Hospital Waterford) has increased by 158% since 2021, according to figures obtained by Sinn Féin TD for Waterford David Cullinane.

The figures show that income from hospital car parking rose from €468,874 in 2021 to €1.21 million in 2025. That represents an increase of around €742,000 over four years.

Nationally, hospital car parking income also increased, rising from €7.39 million in 2021 to €17.76 million in 2025, an increase of 140%.

The HSE has said there is no single national system for hospital car parking, with individual hospitals operating their own arrangements. Some hospitals also involve private operators.

Deputy Cullinane said the figures showed the need for a national plan to phase out hospital parking charges, particularly for people who have to attend hospitals regularly.

“It is cancer patients going for treatment. It is people going for dialysis. It is parents bringing a sick child to hospital. It is people with disabilities and carers who may have no alternative but to drive,” he said.

He said hospitals should be properly funded by Government rather than relying on income from patients and their families.

Deputy Cullinane called for parking charges to be phased out, starting with cancer patients, dialysis patients, parents of sick children, people with disabilities, carers and families dealing with long hospital stays.

“Hospital parking charges are a charge on illness. Patients should be focused on getting better, not on feeding a parking meter,” he said.