Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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124. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the use of a designated Leap card for the free travel pass, with a view to cross-departmental collaboration towards better public transport services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24634/23]

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, for example, Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, Luas, Local Link and services provided by over 80 private transport operators.

At the end of April 2023, there are nearly 1.07 million Free Travel primary recipients. When spouse and companion passes are taken into account, a total of 1.75 million people benefit from the Free Travel scheme.

Customers eligible for Free Travel are provided with a Public Services Card which includes a Free Travel token. The card displays the customer's photograph, used to verify the cardholder presenting for Free Travel, and is readable by the Integrated Ticketing System used by public transport operators. Therefore, existing Free Travel cards are already integrated with the ticketing machines used across transport operators.

While my Department has responsibility for determining eligibility for Free Travel entitlement for individuals, the provision, and improvement, of public transport services is solely a matter for my colleague Minister Ryan.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.