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20th June 2025
01:10pm BST
The government has been asked to extend the free travel programme to include children under nine.
According to the Irish Independent, an organisation representing bus operators submitted a pre-budget plan to the Department of Finance.
This scheme aims to extend the free travel scheme to children under nine for commercial and state bus services.
The plan says the expansion should cost €1 million. The Irish Independent also reports that this plan will be in place only on state transport in the third quarter of this year, but not yet on commercial services.
As per the publication, Chairperson David Conway said:
“We would urge the government to include commercial operators in the next phase of the rollout of free transport.
"Particularly for the free transport scheme for children under nine, which is due to brought in in 2026.”
Conway adds that including commercial services in the free-of-charge scheme is key in reducing costs for families:
“Particularly when we provide many transport routes where the state cannot", he adds.
With this free-of-charge scheme for children under nine, the organisation also urges the government to allow drivers over 70 to drive school buses.
According to the Irish Independent, due to a school bus driver shortage, allowing those over 70 to drive school buses benefits the community:
"We know that many drivers over 70 are well able to continue working as school bus drivers,” Conway says.
“They should be allowed to continue serving the communities that they have for many years.”
This proposal was made in advance of Budget 2026.
