Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

194. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if assistance will be provided in relation to an issue (details supplied) regarding public transport. [47688/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 private transport operators who participate in the free travel scheme.  

There is no record of the transport operator concerned as a participant, past or current, in the free travel scheme.  Should this operator wish to participate in the free travel scheme, they can contact my Department by writing to the Free Travel Section, Department of Social Protection, College Rd, Sligo or by emailing operatorsurveys@welfare.ie and an official will be in touch to outline the process involved. 

The decision to apply to participate in the free travel scheme is entirely a matter for each individual private transport operator to consider.  

I trust this clarifies the position. 

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

195. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there will be any changes to the assessment to qualify for the working family payment in budget 2023; and if there will be an increase in the payment persons will receive. [47715/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am delighted that Budget 2023 includes a social welfare package of over €2.1 billion. This extensive packages includes measures in relation to the Working Family Payment.

The Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. There are approximately 47,000 families with 103,000 children who are currently in receipt of the WFP. The estimated spend on the WFP in 2022 is €349 million.

To qualify for payment of WFP a person must be engaged as an employee in full time paid employment which is expected to last for at least 3 months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. The applicant must also have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them or is part of a family supported by them. These criteria have not been changed in Budget 2023. 

The Budget package includes a range of measures that will assist people with the cost of living in one-off payments this Autumn. This includes a once-off payment of €500 to recipients of the Working Family Payment. This payment will be made in November at an estimated cost of €23 million.

In addition, I have also provided for a €40 per week increase in the Working Family Payment thresholds for all family sizes. This is the highest ever increase in the Working Family Payment thresholds. This will ensure that families on low incomes will receive more weekly income from the scheme - up to €24 euro per week. It will also ensure that the increase of 80 cent per hour in the National Minimum Wage does not negatively impact on people's income from the WFP. It also means that more people will qualify for the payment. This measure will take effect from January at a cost of approximately €16.8 million in 2023.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.