Free travel pass withdrawn from Ukrainians under welfare changes

More than 500 Ukrainian refugees have had their Free Travel passes withdrawn following cuts to social welfare entitlements.

It follows a decision to significantly reduce welfare payments to Ukrainians living in State-provided, serviced accommodation like hotels, announced in May.

Under those changes, Ukrainians who had been receiving disability payments, pensions, and jobseekers allowance saw their weekly payments reduced to €38.80.

Some Ukrainians have now been advised that their free travel passes, which are linked to receipt of other payments, are also being removed.

The Department of Social Protection confirmed that as a result of the changes the Free Travel Scheme is no longer available to 320 Ukrainians who had been receiving Disability Allowance, and 200 who were previously in receipt of Carers Allowance.

The Free Travel Scheme allows holders to travel, free of charge, on public transport and some private bus and ferry services.

The Ukraine Civil Society Forum said removing the passes will impact the most vulnerable.

"How are they going to make their medical appointments? Travel into town to do their laundry?" Emma Lane Spollen, National Coordinator with the UCSF, asked.

Earlier this year Ukrainians who are resident in State-provided accommodation centres were disqualified from receiving social protection payments other than Child Benefit and Additional Needs Payments, if eligible.

The Government said the move was in line with payment qualifications of other asylum seekers.

"Where entitlement to the Free Travel Pass was based on receipt of a qualifying Social Protection payment, entitlement to the Free Travel Pass ceases if a person is no longer entitled to the qualifying payment," it said in a statement.

Describing the move as severely isolating, Ms Lane Spollen said, "a disability is a disability, a human is a human. We wouldn't take the travel card from a disabled Irish person because we know how essential it is."