As part of the debate on the passage of the Social Welfare Bill 2022, our ongoing campaign around improved access to the Free Travel scheme for people with epilepsy was highlighted.
In recent years, we have made pre-budget submissions aimed at improving access to the Free Travel scheme for people with epilepsy. This submission led to a meeting with the Minister for Social Protection earlier this year – after which, Department officials have been carrying out exploratory work on our proposals.
The Department had been in further contact with Epilepsy Ireland following this meeting seeking further information around key aspects of our submission. Despite the ongoing exploratory work, there has been no concrete update on the Department or Minister’s position regarding our proposals.
However, our proposals were not included in either of the budgets for 2022 or 2023. This was raised by Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh as part of the debate on the passage of the Social Welfare Bill 2022 and you can see his contribution in the video below…
However, in recent weeks, the Minister for Social Protection indicated that she expects a final report from her Department officials on our proposals “in the next number of weeks.” This response was first issued towards the end of October and has been repeated several times since in response to a number of Parliamentary Questions from TDs from all parties. The Parliamentary Question responses have also noted that there will be further engagement with Epilepsy Ireland following this final report. You can see one of the latest Parliamentary Question responses below:
For Written Answer on : 29/11/2022
Question Number(s): 398,435 Question Reference(s): 58773/22, 59323/22
Department: Social Protection
Asked by: Claire Kerrane T.D., Paul Donnelly T.D.
QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to extending the free travel scheme to persons with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. - Claire Kerrane T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29 November, 2022.
* To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the proposal by an organisation (details supplied) for a free travel scheme for persons with epilepsy; and if further consideration has been given to the roll-out of the scheme. - Paul Donnelly T.D.
For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 29 November, 2022.REPLY
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. There are approximately 1,050,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 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. Crucially, as many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact across a spectrum from mild to severe, entitlement to these social welfare schemes is not provided on the basis of a diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned. In this way, resources can be targeted to people in most need.
Therefore, while a diagnosis of a particular medical condition will be required to establish if a person may be eligible for certain social welfare schemes, evidence of impact is also required before entitlement to the scheme or the related free travel scheme is established. The sole exception to this general approach is in respect of people who are blind.
While consideration is always given to any requests to improve or extend eligibility to the free travel scheme, uncoupling the link between receipt of particular social welfare payments and eligibility for the free travel scheme would so fundamentally alter the scheme that it would move it away from being a social welfare measure to being a general transport initiative.
Any such change would also require potentially very significant additional funding for the free travel scheme and would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I am aware of an ongoing campaign by Epilepsy Ireland and recognise the issues and difficulties that can arise due to a person being diagnosed with epilepsy and who is unable to drive as a result of their condition. I have met with representatives of Epilepsy Ireland to discuss its proposal in detail.Following the meeting, I asked my Department officials to examine the issues raised by Epilepsy Ireland. Department officials are currently examining the issues raised by Epilepsy Ireland, along with relevant submissions. This work is still ongoing. I am expecting a report from my officials in the next few weeks.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
We eagerly await this final report and hope that it will contain a step forward in this longstanding campaign. We will continue to use every avenue available to us to pursue this issue on behalf of people with epilepsy, and recently raised this issue again with the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection.
You can read more on this issue and read our proposals by visiting the ‘Advocacy’ section of our website, where you will also find a template letter that you can use to contact your local TD or Senator.