The HSE took in over a million euro in parking fees at both of its Galway city hospitals last year, the Regional Health Forum was told.
In response to a question from Cllr Shane Forde, the forum heard that the current total Parking Income figure for 2025 is €1,049,213, this includes both UHG and MPUH.
Anne Cosgrove, Integrated Health Area Manager, Galway Roscommon said that car park charges were introduced as part of a series of measures to ensure that the cost of the provision of such services was not taken from a hospital’s operating budget. “The income generated from paid parking is an important stream of funding to hospitals, which is revenue used by the hospitals to ensure continued provision of parking services and for the upkeep of our car parking facilities/grounds,” she said.
She said that the revenue generated from parking charges is used to pay the monthly management fee to the Car Park Management Company; to cover the costs of maintenance of the car parks which includes barriers and surface repairs, civil works; and maintenance/upgrade of parking management systems.
“The funds are also used to provide a free Hospital Shuttle Bus service which crosses the city every 20 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes thereafter from UHG to MPUH.
“Both staff and patients can avail of this valuable service from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Friday. This forms part of the GUH Mobility Management Plan whereby changes in travel behaviour and options are provided to make it easier for staff and visitors to travel by public transport thereby reducing the need for car use.
“On both the UHG & the MPUH campus, there are also various open parking spaces located at areas around the site,” she concluded.
