Dublin City Council has said it has instructed Dublin Street Parking Services to exercise discretion when clamping cars parked in areas surrounding hospitals, the Department of Health, and HSE offices.

It comes after criticism of the clamping of vehicles outside facilities where health staff have been dealing with the Covid-19 crisis.

The city council said it is attempting to "put in place a more formal identification procedure for vehicles belonging to medical professionals and staff associated with medical facilities" so as to ensure that parking spaces around health facilities are prioritised for medical staff.

In a statement this evening, Dublin City Council said "normal clamping and enforcement activities are still ongoing and will remain in place to ensure that motorists continue to park legally and that vehicles obstructing entrances, disabled bays etc. can be removed".

The council urged other drivers not to park in the vicinity of medical facilities and to leave these spaces free for medical professionals.

Dublin City Council has already instructed Dublin Street Parking Services, DCCs parking enforcement contractor, to exercise discretion in terms of clamping cars parked on roads & streets surrounding hospitals, the department of health, and HSE offices. — Fergal Bowers (@FergalBowers) March 18, 2020

Sarah, who is a nurse in the respiratory unit of Dublin's Mater hospital, told RTÉ's Liveline that colleagues, who are staying on hours after their shift to help out, are leaving the hospital to find that their cars have been clamped.

Many, she said, are being forced to pay up to €100 to have their car released.

Sarah said that in light of Covid-19 guidelines she and her colleagues are having to travel alone in their cars, because they pose too big of a risk to travel on public transport.

She said it costs €15 per day to park in the Mater Hospital car park.

She added that many healthcare staff cannot afford to pay that amount per day and so are choosing to park 15-20 mins away in cheaper car parks.

Sarah said: "There are 440 spaces in the Mater car park, but there are only a handful of cars in it due to the visiting restrictions. But yet the daily car park fee has not been reduced."

Meanwhile, healthcare staff and those working in the Covid-19 test centre at Croke Park are advised that they can park inside the stadium.

Parking areas at other testing locations will be addressed on a case by case basis the council said.

The council's statement added that it does not run any hospital car parks, which it said are "run by private companies".

Dublin City Council said it would always support medical staff "any way we can".

'Abandon car park fees'

Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Dublin, John Lahart, has called for hospitals to "abandon car park fees and clamping operations for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis".

Deputy Lahart said: "I am calling on the Minister for Health to make a clear directive on the suspension of fees and clamping on hospital grounds. The Minister needs to engage with the hospital groups and advise them to suspend all fees as soon as possible

"Public hospital car parks are currently not at full capacity due to the restrictions, so the doctors, nurses and other health care workers should be allowed to park free of charge and not have to worry about coming out at the end of a shift to find their car clamped."