Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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484. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who is self-employed and has made sufficient contributions to qualify for a State pension (contributory) when reaching 66 years of age, could retire from their occupation at 65 years and claim jobseeker's benefit for the year before reaching 66 years in the same way as other workers can under present legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16539/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds was introduced in line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the position of people who are required to or choose to retire at age 65 before the State pension age of 66. The payment is designed to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self-employment at age 65 until they qualify for the State Pension at age 66.

The Benefit Payment for 65-Years-Olds is available to employees and the self-employed and is provided for under the Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) schemes under Sections 62 to 68 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended).

To be eligible for the payment a person must satisfy the qualifying conditions of the scheme including the relevant PRSI social insurance contribution requirements. A self-employed person must have paid at least 156 PRSI contributions at Class S or have paid at least 104 PRSI contributions at Class A or H and have paid 52 PRSI self-employment contributions at Class S in the Governing Contribution Year, which is 2 years prior to the date of the application.

If the Deputy has a particular case, they are advised to forward the details to the Department so that the circumstances can be examined.

I trust that clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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. This increases to 1.75million customers when spouses and companions are included. The estimated expenditure on the Free Travel in 2024 is €104 million.

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, Carers Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. Therefore, the free travel pass is a secondary benefit directly linked to the person being in receipt of Carer's Allowance.

A person’s entitlement to a free travel pass is displayed on an individual’s Public Service Card which also contains the holders name, photograph and signature and therefore allowing the card to be used by another person would result in security and administrative issues especially for transport providers participating in the free travel scheme.

Any decision to expand the qualifying conditions for the free travel scheme to award a free travel pass to both the recipient of the Carers Allowance and the other parent/guardian not in receipt of Carers Allowance could only be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

Finally, I would like to highlight that the Department does provide Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an essential need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers and may be paid to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.

Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.