Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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270. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider amending the free travel scheme to allow persons who have a disability and are in employment to be eligible for the free travel scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6825/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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 companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators.

The objective of the Free Travel Scheme is to ensure older people and people with disabilities remain active within their community by providing access to existing public and private transport routes.

Extending the Free Travel Scheme to all those with a disability in employment would require additional funding and would have to be considered in a wider budgetary and policy context, having regard to other competing demands for scarce resources.

As part of Budget 2024, access to the Free Travel Pass was expanded to support people who are medically certified as unable to drive for a period of 12 months or longer. 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. Therefore, those who are medically certified as unable to drive and in employment are eligible for a Free Travel Pass

Furthermore, as part of the “Make Work Pay” initiative persons who moves directly from certain long term Social Protection schemes to employment are entitled to retain their Free Travel entitlement for a further period of 5 years, where they previously had the entitlement to free travel on the scheme.

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 include help towards recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.

A travel supplement may also be paid where a person has a recurring travel expense (for example, where a person has ongoing travel costs for hospital visits).

Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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271. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the length of time that accommodation in a hotel or bed and breakfast will be covered under the humanitarian assistance scheme for people whose homes were destroyed by storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6828/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my department through the local Community Welfare Service, was activated on the 23rd January 2025 to assist householders across the country affected by Storm Éowyn.

The purpose of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is to provide financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not able to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair.

This includes emergency support payments, under Stage 1 of the scheme, to households in the immediate aftermath of severe weather events for items such as essential food and clothing. These payments are not income tested and are based on the immediate need of the individuals impacted.

The scheme has supported a number of people in very challenging circumstances with the cost of alternative accommodation under Stage 1. Assistance was provided in the majority of these cases for either one or two nights. The level of support provided reflected reasonable rates based on local cost availability. This support is a short-term measure and was provided to persons who did not have any power and/or water supply following Storm Éowyn.

It is important to note that where a person's home is uninhabitable as a result of having been destroyed by Storm Éowyn, and there is a requirement for long term support with alternative accommodation, responsibility would rest with the relevant Local Authority.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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272. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an individual who is currently receiving carer’s allowance and a child increase for two children will now be dropped down to the half-rate carer’s allowance and their child increase taken away once they go on the maternity benefit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6844/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The key role of the Department of Social Protection is that of income support for people experiencing specific contingencies that limit their ability to earn an income. These contingencies include unemployment, illness/disability and caring responsibilities. These payments reflect the fact that, people experiencing these contingencies cannot earn, or can earn only a limited employment income. The payments are accordingly intended to provide an income support to people who have no other means or resources to rely upon.

The Irish social welfare system is underpinned by a general principle of one person, one payment. Normally people qualifying for two social welfare payments only receive the higher payment they are eligible for. However, there are a limited number of exceptions where a person may receive another payment. One such exception is half-rate Carer’s Allowance.

This arrangement allows people in receipt of particular social welfare payments, who are providing full-time care and attention, to retain their main payment and receive another payment, depending on their means, the maximum of which is equivalent to a half-rate Carer’s Allowance. A carer, in the case outlined by the Deputy, may be eligible for payment by my Department of both the full weekly rate of Maternity Benefit (currently at €289), as well as a Half-rate Carer’s Allowance - currently €130 for those aged under 66 and caring for one person.

In addition, if the Maternity Benefit recipient has adult or child dependants, they may also be entitled to an Increase for a Qualified Adult at a weekly rate of €162, along with Child Support Payments, paid at a rate of €50 per week for any children under 12 or €62 per week for children aged 12 or over. The set rate of Maternity Benefit is compared to the rate of Illness Benefit that would be paid to them if they were absent from work through illness. The higher of the two rates is paid.

As such, a carer similar to the case outlined above would receive €159 more per week while on maternity leave from Maternity Benefit, Half-Rate Carer's Allowance and two Child Support Payments.

It is also important to note that some employers will continue to pay an employee, in full, while the employee is on maternity leave. In such cases, the Maternity Benefit is mandated to the employer. An employee’s contract of employment will outline the employer’s agreed financial contribution to the employee while they are on maternity or parent’s leave.

I can assure the Deputy that I will keep the range of income supports provided by my Department under constant review. However, any further changes to income supports provided could only be considered in an overall policy and Budgetary context.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.