Letterkenny University Hospital sees drop in income from parking fees

Income from car-parking at Letterkenny University Hospital fell slightly in 2024, information released by the HSE has revealed.

Labour Party TD Mark Wall was told by the HSE, in response to a parliamentary question he tabled, that LUH had a gross income of €113,433 from parking fees in 2024. That’s down by 14% from €132,882 in 2023.

In the three months to March 2025, the gross income from car-parking was €34,127.

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However, in a follow up question put to Saolta Hospital Group by Donegallive, it emerged that those were net figures rather than gross.

In other words, that is the net income received by LUH after operational costs are deducted.

The gross figure outlining all the money collected at the hospital car park was not provided.

The pay and display system at LUH is operated by Euro Car Parks, and covers some 1,100 parking spaces.

The hospital draws almost 200,000 patients and visitors annually, and approximately 2,500 staff have been granted parking permits.

Nationally, almost €19 million was collected from hospital parking fees in 2024.

“It’s deeply unfair,” Mark Wall, the TD who obtained the information said. “So many people are already struggling to get the care they need and nobody is taking a day trip to a hospital.

“The thoughts of parking your car, most likely in a panic, only to come back to pay a massive parking ticket is just wrong.”

Deputy Wall said the Government must abolish parking charges for all public patients and healthcare staff in the forthcoming Budget.