A total of €630,000 was collected in parking charges by University Hospital Galway last year, according to figures released by the HSE.
The figure for UHG was the second highest in the State, with car parking charges in public hospitals around the Republic of Ireland bringing in a total of €5.2 million. People Before Profit Galway has renewed its call for such charges to be abolished.
"Hospital parking charges are effectively a tax on being sick or having a sick relative,” said PBP Galway representative Adrian Curran. “Going into hospital, or visiting a sick relative, is a stressful enough time without the added stress of these fees. Someone getting sick should not be seen as an opportunity to exploit them for profit."
