Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are more than one million customers with direct eligibility. In budget 2024 we expanded the free travel scheme to support people who are medically certified as unable to drive. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2024 is €104 million.

The objective of the free travel scheme is to ensure older people and people with disabilities remain active within their community by providing access to existing public and private transport routes. It is important to note, however, that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is a secondary benefit linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary social protection payments or due to certain medical conditions. My Department does provide additional needs payments as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our community welfare officers and include help towards recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.

Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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