Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
990. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the travel pass for carers of children with special needs can be altered to enable it to be shared by parents who share the responsibility of travelling with their child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37498/23]
View answer992. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any plans to alter the provisions governing the free travel scheme as it applies to the provision of free travel passes to parents who are acting as joint carers for children with special needs; if she has any specific plans to introduce a shared travel pass scheme which would allow parents acting as joint carers to share the use of that travel pass in light of the day-to-day exigencies of their shared care responsibilities and the significant financial hardship that carers are already grappling with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37568/23]
View answer993. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will implement a shared travel pass for carers of children with special needs (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37570/23]
View answer996. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a shared free travel pass for carers of children with special needs (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37680/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 990, 992, 993 and 996 together.
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.
It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. Therefore, the free travel pass is a secondary benefit directly linked to the person being in receipt of Carers Allowance.
A person’s entitlement to a free travel pass is displayed on an individual’s Public Service Card which also contains the holders name, photograph and signature and therefore allowing the card to be used by another person would result in security and administrative issues especially for transport providers participating in the free travel scheme.
Furthermore, uncoupling the link between receipt of particular social welfare payments and eligibility would have significant costs and administrative implications for the free travel scheme and could only be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Finally, I would like to highlight that the Department does provide 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 may be paid to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
