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University Hospital Kerry’s car parking policy praised
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A CANCER charity has called on all hospitals to adopt University Hospital Kerry’s parking policy.
The hospital has been congratulated by the Irish Cancer Society for its car parking scheme for cancer patients.
Unlike most of the hospitals around the country, University Hospital Kerry allows cancer patients going through treatment to park free of charge. The hospital is highlighted in the Irish Cancer Society’s ‘Park the Charges’ report as being a leader in good-practice for its car parking policy for cancer patients.
In other hospitals, cancer patients could be paying up to €63 a week in car parking charges. The Irish Cancer Society’s report highlights the financial burden of car parking on patients and their families. The charity says that the HSE needs to issue guidelines to hospitals so that all people undergoing cancer treatment receive free car parking. One cancer patient told the Irish Cancer Society that his family had spent €1,200 on car parking charges while he was in hospital.
Donal Buggy, Head of Services and Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society, said: “Car parking charges represent a huge cost for many cancer patients, at a time of not just physical and psychological stress, but financial pressure. People undergoing treatment are facing real hardship in having to deal with additional costs and large drops in income, and high car parking charges only add to this. We have proposed a set of guidelines for hospitals to the HSE, that, if put in place, would make a big difference to cancer patients.”
Mr Buggy added: “Our ‘Park the Charges’ Report shows that people receiving treatment close to urban centres are facing the highest parking costs. This is a problem for cancer patients as many have to visit the eight designated cancer centres for individual cancer types in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Galway and Limerick. The average cost of parking at these hospitals is €8 for a four hour stay.”
There were significant variations in cost by region, with Dublin hospitals proving the most expensive. On average a four hour stay in a Dublin hospital cost €8.86. Hospitals in Munster had the second highest costs for a four hour stay at €6.70, while costs were lower in Connaught/Ulster at €4.67 and in Leinster (excluding Dublin) at €5.20, respectively.
Mr. Buggy said: “We are asking the HSE to issue guidelines to hospitals, like those that exist in the UK and to extend free car parking for cancer patients, currently available at University Hospital Kerry, to all hospitals.”
According to figures provided by the Society, at the 26 public hospitals that offer cancer treatment, the revenue raised by car parking in 2015 totalled almost €14.5 million, with two hospitals taking in in excess of €1million, and another two hospitals taking in €1.5million and €2.9million respectively. Kerry GH raised almost €637,000 in revenue through car parking.
In a survey of car parking across the country, the Society found that a four-hour stay in one Dublin hospital costs patients €12.80, a charge Mr Buggy described as “exorbitant”.
The Irish Cancer Society currently runs a Volunteer Driver Service that provides transport for cancer patients to and from their hospital chemotherapy treatments, which currently operates at 21 different hospitals nationwide, including University Hospital Kerry.
Mr Buggy said: “This vital and unique service helps provide a lifeline to those without access to transport, who have to travel long distances to appointments and to those who simply cannot afford the cost of travel and car parking costs.”
In 2016 alone, the Volunteer Driver Service has provided 21,350 drives to 1,163 chemotherapy patients, covering over 1,000,000 kilometres. In Kerry, 524 drives totalling over 34,000km were covered by 33 Irish Cancer Society volunteer drivers.
Women’s Aid highlights rising femicide figures following Killarney death
Following the violent death of Jamey Carney in Killarney on Tuesday, national charity Women’s Aid has released a stark update regarding violence against women in Ireland.
According to the Women’s Aid Femicide Watch for the Republic of Ireland, eight women have died in violent circumstances so far this year.
This figure already exceeds the total of seven women recorded during the entirety of 2025.
Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid, said:
“Violence, abuse, and even at its extremes, death, are still a reality for many women living in Ireland. After the devastating murder of Ashling Murphy in 2022, Ireland said never again. But Ireland has not lived up to that promise.
“Since then, 40 women have died violently in Ireland. That is 40 women with lives, dreams, family, friends and communities.
“Since we started the Women’s Aid Femicide Watch in 1996, 286 women have died violently in Ireland. Every death is an outrage. An absolute tragic loss of life resulting in utter heartache and trauma for those left behind.
“We are thinking today of those who will be deeply impacted by the loss of life in Killarney. Prevention of all domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is crucial and urgent.”
“The Women’s Aid Femicide Watch shows that 87% of women (where the case has been resolved) were killed by a man known to them. We also know that in Ireland, one in three women has been subjected to domestic abuse of some kind.
“Every woman has the right to be safe in her home and in her community, and this is just not the case. We must do the work required to achieve equality and safety for all, to make Ireland a country that truly has zero tolerance for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.”
Support is available on the Women’s Aid 24-Hour National Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900, or go to womensaid.ie to use the Instant Message Service or for more information on domestic violence and abuse.”
Killarney Gardaí await post-mortem results as Muckross Road scene remains cordoned off
Gardaí investigating the discovery of a woman’s body at a residence on Muckross Road in Killarney are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to determine the direction of their inquiries.
It is understood that a full murder investigation is expected to be launched.
The deceased has been named locally as Jamey Carney, an American national in her 40s and the mother of a 13-year-old girl.
The scene at the domestic residence remains cordoned off today for a full technical examination, with a visible Garda presence continuing at the location.
An incident room has been established at Killarney Garda Station under a Senior Investigating Officer. Local businesses in the area have already begun supplying CCTV footage to assisting officers.
Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser, local councillor Martin Grady expressed the deep sense of shock in the area.
“I want to offer my condolences to the family,” Cllr Grady said. “This is an awful shock to the local community. I encourage anyone to come forward with any information they may have to An Garda Síochána. Whoever committed such a crime is a cowardly person and should get the maximum penalty.”
Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone who was in the Muckross Road area between the evening of Monday, July 6 and the afternoon of Tuesday, July 7 to come forward. They are particularly appealing to road users and business owners who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from the area during those times.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
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