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 2023 is €95 million.
Providing an accurate projection of the cost of extending the free travel scheme to all children in respect of whom a Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is being paid is very difficult as the cost is determined by the usage of the extra passes provided and not by the number of newly qualified people. The fact that many operators have reduced fares for children and that in some cases children under five years of age can travel for free would also have to be taken into account.
Therefore, my Department is not able to provide an accurate estimate cost of the measure outlined by the Deputy.
Any decision to extend the Free Travel scheme to all children in respect of whom a DCA is being paid would require additional funding for the free travel scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
DCA is a monthly payment to the carer of a child with a disability. The allowance may be used for the additional costs involved in caring for the child and this may include additional transport costs. In Budget 2023 the rate of DCA payable was increased from €309.50 to €330 a month. In addition, all recipients of DCA qualify for the Carer's Support Grant in June of each year. The current rate is €1,850 per year for each carer.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent 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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
