The Northern Ireland Assembly has approved a bill to postpone the abolition of hospital parking charges until no later than 12 May 2029. The vote passed with 42 members in favour and 25 against. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt introduced the deferral legislation on Monday evening.

The Hospital Parking Charges Act originated as a private member's bill by Sinn Féin MLA Aisling Reilly and passed in 2022. It aimed to eliminate fees for staff, patients, and visitors at public hospital sites. The act briefly took effect in 2024 after an earlier deferral failed but faced another delay set for May this year.

Nesbitt stated the deferral protects frontline services from a £7m yearly revenue loss. He noted his department faces a £760m deficit this financial year, projected to increase. Staff parking permits remain free, and a needs-based system continues during the deferral period.

The minister wrote to the Secretary of State and Attorney General to expedite royal assent and avoid temporary abolition on 12 May. He requested assembly support for health trusts to manage any resulting disruption.

Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan opposed the bill, arguing delays impose costs on patients, families, and staff. SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole criticised the repeated postponements. Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly recognised the revenue impact as significant. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll condemned the handling by ministers and the executive. DUP MLA Diane Dodds supported the deferral, citing budget pressures and needs of families with children undergoing cancer treatment.

Health trusts manage just under 20,000 parking spaces across 16 sites. They received £5m to install cameras and automatic number plate recognition systems to safeguard ambulance routes and staff areas in preparation for the original act.