Dublin hospital car parks are full every morning

Sir, – I agree with Bobby Carty (Letters, June 30th) that hospital appointments should be set later in the day for patients who have to travel from outside Dublin. However, there is one problem associated with that suggestion.

Invariably, I have noticed that, with almost every Dublin hospital, the car parks are full from 9am. Therefore, those who have driven from outside Dublin, and who arrive after that time, must sit in their cars in a queue outside the hospital waiting on a space in the car park on the basis of one-out-one-in.

Not only can this raise blood pressure, but there are comfort factors to be considered, such as a toilet visit and/or a refreshing tea/coffee.

In reality, there is little that can be done except for the hospitals to increase the spaces in their already costly car parks, or for Dublin Bus to create specific routes to these hospitals. Alternatively, for those who can walk a short distance, there may be a nearby shopping centre where one can park free and then do the shopping on the way home. – Yours, etc,