The government's announced a review of parking charges at hospitals around the country.

The Health Minister Simon Harris says he wants to establish clear national guidelines on the issue.

It follows ongoing complaints that people with seriously ill relatives are being hit with excessive parking fees while visiting loved ones.

Spokesperson for the Irish Cancer Society, Donal Buggy, has welcomed the decision, 'It would be very welcome to have national standards to inform policy for hospitals, but also to have a system that's more compassionate'.