THE MAYORS of the four local authorities in Kerry – Tralee, Killarney, Listowel and the county – handed in a letter of protest yesterday to Kerry General Hospital in Tralee, over the cost of parking.
The HSE rejects claims that the charges are excessive, and says they are necessary.
The cost of parking is €12 per day.
In the letter, the four mayors said the charges were unfair on patients and people trying to visit their sick relatives at what was often a time of great stress.
Kerry General is the secondbiggest acute hospital in the south, and sees about 100,000 patients per year. In addition to maternity and critical care, the hospital has a psychiatric unit, a new community hospital and a palliative care unit.
Yesterday, the Labour Party Mayor of Killarney, Seán O’Grady, claimed the charges were “exorbitant”.
Hospital manager PJ Hartnett met Mr O’Grady, his Labour colleague, Mayor of Kerry Terry O’Brien, Mayor of Tralee Johnny Wall (FF) and Mayor of Listowel Tom Barry (SF) yesterday. A further meeting was scheduled for next month.
In a statement, the HSE said there was “significant demand” on car parking at all hospitals.
It said the efficient management of parking spaces and traffic flow on hospital campuses was crucial to ensure ongoing availability of parking spaces, free flow of traffic on campus, unobstructed access for emergency vehicles at all times, proper use of spaces designated for drivers with disabled permits, and proper use of spaces designated as drop-off points near the hospital entrance.
“In relation to Kerry General Hospital, parking remains free of charge for the first 20 minutes, which allows people to drop or pick someone up.
“Thereafter, a charge of €3 for the first hour, €5 for two hours up to a maximum of €12 per day applies.”
The HSE also said reduced-rate parking was available to visitors for whom the payment of the full rate would cause hardship.