Free travel for homeless families during August

Homeless families in emergency accommodation in Dublin will be given access to free public transport during August 2019.

Homeless families in Dublin are already given free Leap Cards for essential school journeys by the Department of Housing, but Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has now agreed to provide free travel — during the month of August — to all members of homeless families.

This is what the government have to say on the initiative:

“Minister Eoghan Murphy has agreed to the extension of the Dublin leap card arrangements for homeless families on a once off basis, for the month of August.

Arising from a commitment in Rebuilding Ireland, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government funds an initiative to provide homeless families residing in emergency accommodation in the Dublin Region with access to free public transport for essential school journeys.

The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has been overseeing implementation of this initiative and, working in partnership with the National Transport Authority, has put the necessary arrangements in place.

The Department will review long term leap card issue in the context of Budget 2020 engagements with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.”

According to The Irish Times, proposals to extend free public transport to homeless families outside Dublin and to Dublin homeless families year-round will be considered in the 2020 budget.

For more information on free travel for homeless families, please contact Rebuilding Ireland.