Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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232. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider creating free travel passes to be used on all public transport services for staff of special schools, only to be used when travelling with their students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48857/22]

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 approximately 1,043,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 is €95 million.

One of the objectives of the Free Travel scheme is to ensure that older people and people with disabilities remain active within their community.

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. A free travel pass cannot be issued on a temporary or discretionary basis.

Providing free transport to the cohort of people referred to by the Deputy is not a matter for this Department. Any issue regarding the cost of public transport for staff of special schools, while travelling with their students, should be referred to the Department with responsibility for the provision of such services or who employs said staff.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.