State bankrolls prime city parking spaces worth at least €5 million

In total, the state pays €5.29 million to lease almost 4,000 car parking spaces for government departments and state bodies, figures released by the OPW, which manages the state’s property portfolio, show

Traffic gridlock in Dublin city centre: the Department of the Environment is not practising what it preaches on striving to meet emissions targets Picture: Getty

Government departments and public bodies are renting thousands of city and town centre parking spaces in spite of a stated intention to combat Ireland’s dismal record on carbon emissions.

Among the highest spenders on city centre parking in the capital is the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, details released under freedom of information reveal.

Environment minister Richard Bruton’s department leases 80 parking spaces at a cost of €270,000 a year these ...