Northern Ireland's Department of Health “failed” to implement the necessary infrastructure to make car parking at hospitals free as planned, the First Minister has said.
Michelle O’Neill made the comments after the Northern Ireland Executive approved a request from the health minister to defer the removal of the charges for another two years.
Robin Swann is now seeking Assembly approval to defer the legislation, which was originally planned for May 12 this year.
The Department of Health said the intervention is due to “deepening budgetary pressures” and “practical obstacles” with the original date, including issues with the contract for automatic number-plate recognition.
Ms O’Neill said: “I think that’s going to be a blow to all those workers out there across our health service and it’s going to be a blow in terms of people who were looking forward to the abolition of the charges and being able to access their treatment without having that additional cost.
“But it’s very clear that the Department of Health have failed in terms of being able to bring the infrastructure in place that would allow this to go forward.”
She said the Executive had “no choice” but to accept Mr Swann’s reasoning for the deferral but added: “We were also, equally, very firm and saying, that it’s not good enough.
“That the situation needs to be arrested and that he needs to put the infrastructure in place to allow this legislation to come to its fruition.”
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the paper brought to the Executive by Mr Swann outlined “significant concerns” over legal and logistical aspects of the plan as well as its budgetary implications.
She added: “He asked the Executive to agree with him to defer this for a number of years while he worked through those and I have no doubt he will bring back further consideration to the Executive.
“The executive unanimously agreed to do that on the request of the Minister for Health.”
Mr Swann said deferring free hospital parking is a difficult decision that must be taken due to budgetary pressures.
In a statement, he said: “There are logistical issues that make the planned May 2024 starting date for free parking unfeasible.
“HSC Trusts have advised that the infrastructure required to manage free parking cannot be in place in time.
“This is due to legal challenges delaying a contract for automatic number-plate recognition technology.
“As a result, the intended traffic-management solution will not be operational by May 12th.
“In its absence, trusts would have significant concerns about their ability to maintain safe access to their sites for patients, clients, visitors and staff. Preserving blue light routes would be a particular concern.
“In addition, it is unfortunately the case that the financial position for our health service has deteriorated in the past two years.
“A blanket removal of all charges would result in loss of income, resulting in £10m in costs per year in total to control access and maintain car parks.
“My primary concern as Minister is to protect access to hospitals for legitimate users.
“Free parking without traffic management could very quickly lead to a free-for-all, with serious consequences for traffic not just in hospital sites but in surrounding areas.”
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the delay was “unacceptable” for health workers and patients.
In a statement, he called on the minister to meet health trade unions and said: “Hospital car parking charges are a tax on health workers wages and on the sick.
“Working class people can ill-afford to pay these charges during a cost-of-living crisis.
“Wages are down, bills are up, and car parking charges are heaping further financial pressure on health workers, patients and their families.”
