Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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151. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider providing every person with a disability a free travel pass (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39397/24]

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 2024 is €104 million.

Given the large numbers involved, extending the free travel scheme to all those with a disability, would require significant additional funding and would have to be considered in a wider budgetary and policy context, having regard to other competing demands for scarce resources.

My Department does already provide free travel for those in receipt of long term disability type payments from my Department such as Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension and Disability Allowance.

Furthermore, as part of Budget 2024, I was particularly pleased to announce the expansion of my Department’s Free Travel Pass to support people who are medically certified as unable to drive. There is no requirement that a person must be in receipt of a Social Welfare payment in order to qualify for a free travel pass on these medical grounds, provided the other qualifying criteria are met. This extension to the scheme is now open for applications.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides 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 can include payments towards essential heating or repair costs.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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152. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made on an invalidity application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39422/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 27th September 2024, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.