Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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691. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to review the decision to revoke the free travel scheme for a person (details supplied). [3013/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Make Work Pay initiative, persons whose disability related social protection payment ceases due to taking up employment, may retain their entitlement to Free Travel for a period of 5 years after their disability payment has ceased. The entitlement of the person concerned to Free Travel was linked to their former entitlement to Disability Allowance, which ceased in November 2019. As the 5 year period has now expired, the person's entitlement to Free Travel was terminated in November 2024.

In Budget 2024, a significant extension to the Free Travel scheme was announced for people who are medically certified as unfit to drive for a period of at least 12 months.

From 29th of July 2024, the measure extends access to the Free Travel scheme to:

• People who have never been medically fit to drive due to a disability; and
• Drivers who have a license and have been deemed medically unfit to drive for a period of at least 12 months.