Press release
Minister Humphreys meets the first user of Ireland’s newly extended Free Travel Pass
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, today met with the first people to avail of the new Free Travel Pass for persons medically unable to drive.
From this week, the Free Travel Scheme is being extended to people who have never been able to drive due to a disability, and to drivers who have a licence and are medically certified as not fit to drive for a period of 12 months or longer.
It is the first time a Free Travel Pass has been available to persons not in receipt of a Pension or qualifying Social Welfare Payment.
This measure was secured by Minister Humphreys as part of Budget 2024.
The scheme allows eligible people to access free travel on all public transport provided by the State. This includes bus, rail, Local Link and the Luas, along with some services operated by private bus and ferry transport operators.
As she met the first user of the New Free Travel Pass at Connolly Station, Minister Humphreys said:
“I’m delighted to introduce the new Free Travel Pass for people medically unable to drive.
“This will benefit people with a range of disabilities and conditions which means they are unable to drive. It will give people more independence so they can commute to work and go about their daily lives without having to worry about additional transport costs or relying on somebody else to give them a lift.
“I was delighted to work closely with Epilepsy Ireland on this measure and I want to commend them for their efforts in highlighting the importance of this new policy which will benefit not just people with epilepsy but any person who is medically unable to drive.”
The first user of the new Free Travel Pass, Síomha Connolly, commented:
“On my 21st birthday in May 2012, I was gifted driving lessons and in June 2012, I was diagnosed with epilepsy. Those lessons remained unused as I have never been seizure-free long enough to begin driving. Being medically barred from driving is difficult to comprehend until you are in that position.
“It can impact on all aspects of life as you rely heavily on public transport and the kindness of friends and family to get around. No-one wants to have epilepsy and to be in this situation, so not being able to access the support of Free Travel – when my medical condition prevented me from driving – never made sense to me and many others like me.
“I am so glad that the difficulties this can cause has been recognised through the extension of the scheme. It will be of benefit to me and many others who have additional transport costs due to their long-term health conditions and will help reduce the dependence on others to live your life.”
Paddy McGeoghegan, Advocacy & Communications Manager at Epilepsy Ireland, commented:
“Today marks the end of what has been a longstanding campaign by Epilepsy Ireland. Over the past few weeks, it has been heartening to receive messages from people with epilepsy who have received their approval for the extended scheme, telling us how much this new measure means to them and how it will help navigate some of the challenges that present due to driving restrictions. It is a measure that extends far beyond the epilepsy community as well and will assist thousands of others who may experience driving restrictions due to a medical condition or disability.
“We are delighted to see the new scheme officially in place and would like to once again thank Minister Humphreys for her leadership and commitment to delivering this important change.”
Notes to Editors:
Who currently qualifies for Free Travel?
The Free Travel Scheme is currently available to everyone who is 66 or over, and to certain people who are under 66 in receipt of qualifying payments or who meet the medical conditions for Blind Pension, and legally living permanently in the State.
If you qualify for Free Travel and you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, your partner may travel with you for free if you meet certain criteria.
If you can’t travel alone for medical reasons, you may be eligible to get Free Travel for a companion. This allows a person aged over 16 to travel with you for free.
The Free Travel Scheme allows for free travel on public transport provided by the State. This includes bus, rail, Local Link and the Luas. Free travel is also available on some services operated by private bus and ferry transport operators.
There are currently over one million people with direct eligibility to a free travel pass. This figure increases to over 1.8 million when companion and spousal passes are taken into consideration.
For more information on the Free Travel Scheme visit Gov.ie/FreeTravel
About Epilepsy & Epilepsy Ireland
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterised by a tendency to have recurring seizures. Over 45,000 in Ireland have epilepsy including 10,000–15,000 people who are living with uncontrolled seizures. For this group in particular, the consequences of epilepsy can be long-lasting and significant. It can affect the person’s education, employment, social functioning, self-esteem and independent living. People with epilepsy must also cope with the physical impact of seizures, the side-effects of medications and for many, the social stigma and economic impact that can be associated with it. Its individualised impact on those who live with it means that it is often considered as a hidden disability. There is also an increased risk of mortality associated with epilepsy with an estimated 130 epilepsy-related deaths in Ireland each year.
Epilepsy Ireland’s vision is to achieve a society where no person’s life is limited by epilepsy. Since 1966, we have remained committed to working for, and meeting the needs of everyone with epilepsy in Ireland, their families, and carers.
For further information on epilepsy and Epilepsy Ireland, visit Epilepsy Ireland