Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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477. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update on her efforts to extend the free travel pass to people with epilepsy who cannot drive due to their condition; when she hopes to bring this into action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54771/23]

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. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 is €95 million.

As part of Budget 2024 I was particularly pleased to extend my Department’s Free Travel Pass to support people who are medically certified as unable to drive including those with Epilepsy.

The measure will expand access to the Free Travel scheme to:

• People who have never been able to drive due to a disability.
• Drivers who have a license and have been deemed medically unfit to drive for a period of one year or longer.