'Honesty needed' from politicians - as Nesbitt seeks to defer free hospital parking to prioritise frontline services

Diane Dodds says plans to remove the parking charges would leave a “significant hole in funding” – money which then can’t be invested in life-saving treatments.

Her comments come as the UUP-run health department confirmed it has received approval to bring new legislation to defer the plans for the third time – arguing that the money could be better spent on other services.

Some hospitals have already informed the public that from May 2026, car parking will be free of charge – in line with the legislation originally passed in 2022. But that now looks unlikely, with ministers already struggling to live within their budget.

The Department of Health told the News Letter that the minister “has secured approval to proceed with legislation to defer the introduction of the Hospital Parking Charges Act”. It said Mr Nesbitt “requested the deferral in the context of the severe HSC financial pressures and to ensure prioritisation of funding for frontline services”.

Mrs Dodds says now is not the time for the changes to be introduced – as while there is broad public support for the idea of free hospital parking, decisions must be rooted in the financial reality facing the health service, with patient care coming first.

She said: “Of course people want to see hospital parking provided free of charge. That is an understandable and reasonable aspiration. But we also have a duty to be honest about the pressures currently facing our health service and the difficult choices that flow from that.

“The health budget is under sustained strain. Frontline services are already stretched, staff are under pressure, and waiting lists remain far too long. Removing parking charges at this point would leave a significant hole in funding, and that money would have to come from the same budget that pays for patient care.

“In a system under this level of pressure, priorities matter. To put this in real terms, around £5 million could deliver a full 24/7 thrombectomy service in Northern Ireland. That single investment is estimated to save around 160 lives each year and, for many stroke patients, mean the difference between walking out of hospital and facing a lifetime of disability.

“Every pound matters. Money used to replace lost parking revenue is money that cannot be invested in life-saving treatments, reducing waiting times, or supporting the staff delivering care day in, day out.

“The DUP’s position is clear. Protecting frontline healthcare must remain the first call on limited resources. While free hospital parking is a worthy aim, it should only be introduced when the financial position allows it to be done properly and sustainably, without risking harm to patient services.”

The law was brought in my MLAs ahead of the collapse of Stormont in 2022, one of a number of pieces of Assembly legislation which critics described as populist and not costed.

In 2021, Sinn Fein MLA Fra McCann brought forward the Hospital Parking Charges Bill to abolish all health trust parking charges. He said the move would “reduce the burden on patients and visitors who are already physically, psychologically, and financially impacted by the experience of ill health” – and reduce pressures on staff.

The Assembly passed the law the following year, with very little opposition.

In March 2022, then UUP health minister Robin Swann amended the bill – providing for a two-year grace period before it kicked in, instead of the original six months. He cited a lack of car parking spaces and the need for time to “deal with capacity” issues.

In 2024, it was decided to push the implementation of the law even further back – to May 2026.

In November 2024, the Department of Health announced work had commenced at hospital sites across Northern Ireland in preparation for the removal of car parking charges in May 2026.