Written answers

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Public Transport

Photo of Maurice QuinlivanMaurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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705. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who has been unsuccessful in their application for free travel, despite being inhibited by multiple sclerosis, MS, requiring a walking aid, and despite being in receipt of a pension, and whose application been declined due to their being under 66 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55203/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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To qualify for Free Travel, a person who is under 66 years of age must be in receipt of a qualifying payment. The relevant qualifying payments are Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension (or a person who is blind or severely visually impaired and satisfies the medical conditions for a blind pension, or registered with the NCBI), Disability Allowance, Incapacity Supplement with Disablement Pension for at least 12 months, Carer’s Allowance, or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.

Based on the information available, the person concerned is not currently in receipt of a qualifying payment and is therefore ineligible for Free Travel at this time.

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 applicant's own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Entitlement is determined based on the circumstances of each individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and the resources of the applicant.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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