Dublin City council has announced that it will be allocating 500 city centre parking spaces to frontline hospital staff from Monday, August 31.
Last week, it was
reported that the clamping of vehicles belonging to hospital staff will resume at the end of the month, after being suspended since March.
This has been confirmed today by Lord Mayor Hazel Chu, who said that "The non-enforcement of paid parking restrictions in respect of vehicles owned by frontline hospital staff parked in the vicinity of hospitals was always intended to be a temporary measure.
"At the time it was introduced it was not a major issue in the various locations where it applied, as there was limited other demand for on-street parking. However, with the resumption in economic activity, there has been a significant recovery in traffic volumes and in on-street parking demand."
She added that "in view of this it was decided, with considerable regret, that the enforcement concession in respect of frontline hospital staff parking in the vicinity of hospitals, could not be sustained. A decision has now been made that the concession will end on 31 August, after which a full parking enforcement service will operate in the vicinity of hospitals."
However, the Lord Mayor also confirmed that DCC will be allocating 500 city centre spaces to frontline staff, starting on Monday, August 31.
She said: "I am delighted to announce that the City Council has allocated 400 parking spaces in the ILAC car park and a total of 100 spaces in the Drury Street and Dawson car parks (all car parks are owned by the City Council) for frontline staff in nearby hospitals.
"The spaces will be made available at a very affordable cost (up to a maximum of €5 per day), which is well below the current market rate for secure off-street car parking in the city centre. The Council is satisfied that there will still be plenty of spaces available in these car parks for motorists wishing to park in the city centre for shopping, leisure and business purposes."
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