Should Public Health Nurses receive parking exemptions?

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting

Gorey-based Cllr Nicky Boland has called on Wexford County Council to provide on-duty parking exemptions for public health nurses working in Co. Wexford towns. He was speaking at Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council.

Cllr Boland, who had raised the matter at the May meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council meeting, noted that there are 30 public health nurses in Co. Wexford and one nurse had received a parking summons while on “an end of care” call in Gorey!

Cllr Boland proposed parking exemptions only during working hours at what proves to be “an emergency” be it a newborn, palliative or end of care situation.

He asked that Wexford County Council liaise with the HSE to see if the proposal could be rolled out through the county. Cllr Michael Sheehan said he was 100% in agreement. Support also from Cllr Tom Forde.

But Cllr Bridín Murphy, who informed the elected members that she was a social worker, questioned Cllr Boland’s suggestion and asked “where does the boundary come in place; who should and who shouldn’t” be facilitated?

Deputy Eamonn Hore said that matter should be referred to the HSE. He felt the matter can be complicated and he remarked that “not all calls are emergencies!”