HSE urged to build multi-storey car park at Roscommon University Hospital
The HSE is being urged to build a multi-storey car park to address the ongoing lack of car parking at Roscommon University Hospital.
The HSE is being urged to build a multi-storey car park to address the ongoing lack of car parking at Roscommon University Hospital.
The calls were made at the May meeting of Roscommon County Council as councillors renewed their appeal to the HSE to urgently provide additional parking for patients and people using the hospital.
Tabling a notice of motion at the meeting, Cllr Marty McDermott (FF) proposed that the council write to the Health Minister and the HSE to consider developing its own land behind the hospital for a car parking facility.
Cllr McDermott said that people were being forced to park a half kilometre away from the hospital at the overflow car park at Dr. Hyde Park. He said this was placing an undue burden on people with limited mobility, older people and people with health difficulties.
“This is extremely unfair. Roscommon University Hospital is a centre of excellence for endoscopy procedures that services patients from across the wider region. This must be matched by accessible facilities. I do think a considerable holding of land directly behind the hospital could offer a viable solution. The ground is owned by the HSE,” he said.
Cllr Domnick Connolly (FG) said that the problem with the lack of hospital parking was going on for years and needed to be looked at urgently. “It should have been addressed years ago and the only way to solve this is a multi-storey car park.”
Cathaoirleach Cllr Paschal Fitzmaurice pointed out that there were lots of hotels around the country that had developed multi-storey car parks and underground parking. “Surely the HSE with all the money it has should be well able to do it,” he said.
Cllr Fitzmaurice also believed there was adequate room out the back of the hospital for the new psychiatric unit and a new car park.
Cllr John Keogh (FF) said, "we are looking to see an expansion of services and we need to be future-proofing it, and space is at a premium out there. We don’t want to take up lots of areas for car-parking when the opportunity is there to put in a multi-storey carpark,” he said.
His party colleague, Cllr Larry Brennan, supporting the notice of motion, said there were also “huge complaints on an ongoing basis” about where cars were being parked and local entrances being blocked.
“It’s all because of a lack of proper parking. The walk from Hyde Park for some people is less than ideal but if it wasn’t there it would be mayhem altogether,” he said.
Cllr Laurence Fallon (Ind) said it was at least six years ago since he was on the HSE regional health forum, and the parking problem was a big issue that time.
“I think what needs to happen is that the ground needed for the psychiatric unit and the ground needed for the rehab unit needs to be identified immediately. And the carpark needs to be built independently of that.
“It should be entirely possible for the HSE to decide how much ground it needs for the two projects and let the carpark go in tandem beside that,” said Cllr Fallon.
Cllr Liam Callaghan (FG) said the parking issue was a big problem and the pressure on parking was testament to the great service that Roscommon Hospital was providing to the local community and throughout the region.
He suggested that an open plan car park could be developed, and adjustments could be made to it over the next few years in line with the other projects taking place.
Referring to waste ground behind the hospital, Cllr Sean Moylan (FF) said that there was capacity now to extend the existing carpark at the back of the hospital to create another 30 to 40 spaces.
Cllr Emer Kelly (Ind) pointed out that when Senator Gareth Scahill was a councillor sitting on the regional health forum, he was told that a spatial plan was being developed for the hospital in conjunction with the psychiatric hospital.
Cllr Kelly said that the additional car parking spaces needed to be prioritised as the two capital projects would take a considerable period to develop.
Cllr Michael Holland (Ind) said he knew a bachelor in his eighties, who was not very mobile, and who had to park at the Hyde Park car park and walk all the way out to the hospital, which he said was “not very acceptable in this day and age”.
Cllr Holland also agreed with Cllr Callaghan’s suggestion to install a temporary carpark while making provision for other buildings.
Cllr Tony Ward (Ind) said he had raised the parking issue several times over the years when he was on the regional forum and at council level.
Independent Ireland councillor Nigel Dineen said it was a pity that parking was an issue, creating problems, including the blocking of entrances and driveways.
