The HSE was accused of “charging people for being ill” over sky-high car parking charges, which have topped €22 million.
And there were calls for the “unfair” costs to be scrapped altogether to ease the stress and strain on sick patients and their families.
The shocking new figures, which were compiled for the latest available year of 2017, revealed hospitals here made a cash-grab of €60,000 a day from parking charges.
Sinn Fein health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly, who obtained the data through a Dail question, slammed the health service on Wednesday.
She said: “When a patient is sick, the last thing they or their loved one’s need is a hefty car parking bill; it is extremely unfair and adds to stress and strain at a very difficult time.
“Charges for car parking at hospitals are a charge on people who are unwell and levied on them because solely because they are sick.
“Patients have told us that they simply can’t manage the cost of parking on top of other expenses they face as they battle their illness.”
The HSE figures revealed that hospitals here made €22.4 million in 2017 from parking charges.
The health service admitted in its reply that just nine Irish hospitals offer free parking, with most charging a fee.
And out of the 47 hospitals where a charge is levied, over 33% (16) used an external third party company to manage the costs.
Cork University Hospital pulled in the most money, with €3.1m collected in 2017, while Dublin hospitals filled five of the top 10 spots.
The Munster facility is one of only two of those nationwide that looks after the management of its own car park.
HSE spent €76,000 per day on taxis in 2018
Other hospitals which raked in pot loads of cash for themselves or the HSE included St Vincent’s University Hospital (€2.5 million) and St James’s Hospital (over €2 million) in the capital.
And the top five list is made up of Galway University Hospital (almost €1.45 million) and Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital (€1.25 million).
Deputy O’Reilly added: “The Irish Cancer Society have pointed out that cancer patients are paying up to €63 a week in car parking charges as they attend hospital to receive their treatment; this is a serious burden to many, many patients with cancer and other illnesses.
“The Minister for Health should be working with hospitals to phase out car parking charges in the interest of sick patients - this was done by the NHS in Wales and to an extent in Scotland, so there is a blueprint for how this can work.
“We should be making sure the patient experience is as smooth as possible and (we are) not charging people for being ill.”
The HSE were contacted about the story, which broke on Wednesday morning, but a spokesperson said they would be unable to provide a response until Thursday.
