A lung cancer patient forking out €150 each month in hospital car parking charges has described the situation as “absolutely ridiculous”.

Samantha Vaughan from Laois said payments begin at €2.70 an hour for parking but can soar to €15 when she needs to use a private car park.

The Irish Cancer Society described car parking charges for patients visiting hospitals as a “tax on the sick” in its pre-budget submission unveiled today.

They noted patients are being charged full fees at University Hospital Galway, Mullingar Hospital, University Hospital Waterford, and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

On Lunchtime Live, Ms Vaughan said concessions should be made for cancer patients like herself.

“If you have cancer, you can’t work and you’re going to be paying that amount of money out of the little social welfare that you get every week, basically sick pay,” she said.

“It's a lot of stress and anxiety on people at the end of the day, plus you're trying to think of where to park when you get there.

“So, I do think it should be abolished for all people with cancer or any other long-term health condition – it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Tolls

Ms Vaughan, who travels to Cork every four weeks for treatments, among other hospital visits, said it’s costing her a hefty sum.

“It probably costs me about €150 per month to park the car to get treatments,” she said.

“I have tried public transport but if I get the train, then it’s so far away from the car park that you’re going to have to get a taxi anyway.

“On top of that, I also have tolls to pay on the way down from Laois and on the way back home."

The entrance to Regional Hospital Mullingar, Westmeath. Image: KarlMPhotography / Alamy Stock Photo

Sharon Greaves, a cancer survivor in Dublin, said she dealt with similar issues while overcoming her illness.

“It was averaging about €10 to €12 a day for parking and then it got to the stage where I wasn’t able to drive myself and I would need to be accompanied to everything,” she said.

“It gives you anxiety trying to pay them for the car park and on top of those charges, you’re also using fuel to go to the hospital which is not cheap.

“Your day would turn out very expensive in the end and there was a lot of stress to it all.”

Other charges

Ms Greaves said the problem is exacerbated by other charges associated with cancer.

“Having cancer itself is expensive and you’re out of work when you have cancer and your income is reduced,” she said.

“The medication and all the different things you need, clothing and things like that to get you through treatments, it’s all very expensive.

“On top of that, then you have the car park charges and I think it’s mental that people profit out of cancer. I really do.”

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Main image: The car park at University Hospital Galway. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo