Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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227. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the options that are available to a person (details supplied) who does not meet the requirements for the free travel card; and if they will be considered for same on compassionate grounds. [21517/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme.  These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators.  There are currently approximately 1,025,000 customers with direct eligibility.  The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 is €95 million.

It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit.  Crucially, as many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact across a spectrum from mild to severe, entitlement to these schemes is not provided on the basis of a simple diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned.  In this way resources can be targeted to people with most need.  Therefore, while a diagnosis of a particular medical condition will be required to establish if a person may be eligible for certain social welfare schemes, evidence of impact is also required before entitlement to the scheme (or the related free travel scheme) is established.  The sole exception to this general approach is in respect of people who are blind.

While consideration is given to any requests to extend eligibility to the free travel scheme, any decision to enable the award of a free travel pass on a discretionary or compassionate basis would fundamentally alter and complicate the scheme.   Any such change would require additional funding for the free travel scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.  Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual 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.