Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for his question. I have no doubt he will join me in welcoming this initiative, which was launched in September and extends free travel on all public service obligation, PSO, services to children between five and eight years of age. This initiative was announced as part of the budget 2025 package of measures and delivers on a key programme for Government commitment to make public transport more affordable and accessible for families. The extension of free travel for children under nine builds on the 2017 introduction of free travel for children under five on subsidised public transport services.

The initiative is important as it both makes public transport more affordable for families and develops a familiarity with using public transport from an early age that will hopefully continue much later in life. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has advised that the card application process is straightforward and efficient and to date, cards have been issued promptly to eligible children.

Approximately 25,000 cards have been issued since 4 September, reflecting strong uptake. While some concerns were raised about the practicality of applying for a card for each child, this requirement is necessary for several reasons: children may travel alone or with different adults; and current validator technology does not permit multiple taps of the same card within a short timeframe, which prevents accidental double-charging. The Leap system, introduced in 2011, is now a legacy platform and cannot support new features such as multiple identities on one card. Individual cards also allow operators and the NTA to monitor usage, providing valuable data on the success of the scheme in promoting public transport usage. The child Leap card expires at the end of the month in which the child turns nine, after which they transition to a child Leap card offering a 67% discount on adult fares. These measures, along with the NTA's recent fare zone adjustments, aim to make public transport more equitable, inclusive and affordable for young people.

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