Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2026
541. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Social Protection whether consideration will be given in Budget 2027 to further supports for families of people with disabilities who are heavily reliant on private transport due to the lack of accessible public transport services in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49422/26]
View answerSupporting disabled people and their families is a key priority for the Government. That is why the Programme for Government and the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 include a range of commitments to support disabled people.
The accessibility and availability of public transport are matters for my colleague, the Minister for Transport.
My Department operates the Free Travel Scheme which provides travel, free of charge, on all public transport owned by the State. This includes bus, rail, Local Link and the Luas, with some exceptions. Free travel is also available on some services operated by private bus and ferry transport operators. A Free Travel Public Services Card may be used to travel free of charge on cross-border journeys between Ireland and Northern Ireland and vice versa, but not for free travel within Northern Ireland.
Everyone who is 66 or over and legally living permanently in the State, can avail of the Free Travel Scheme. A person aged under 66, may be entitled to use the Free Travel Scheme if they are legally living permanently in the State and in receipt of certain payments such as Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, or Carer’s Allowance.
In addition, as part of Budget 2024, access to the Free Travel Scheme was expanded to support people, aged over 17 and under 66, 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.
Furthermore, people who move directly from certain long term social protection schemes, such as Disability Allowance, into 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.
A person aged 70 years or over who qualifies for Free Travel is entitled to a Companion Free Travel Public Services Card which allows a companion who is over 16 to travel with them for free. No one else can use your Free Travel Public Services Card, it is for you only. A person under age 70 who has a Free Travel Public Services Card and is unable to travel alone due to a medical condition, can apply for a Companion Free Travel Public Services Card.
