From today, the new TFI Child Leap Card will extend free travel in Cork on all TFI services for children between 5 and 8 years of age, said Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea.
Deputy O’Shea said the card, available through leapcard.ie, will expand free travel to almost a quarter of a million children across Ireland, building upon existing free travel on public transport for children under 5-years of age.
This measure was announced as part of the Budget 2025 package of measures and is a key Fine Gael delivery on the Programme for Government commitment to make public transport more affordable and accessible for families.
“It is fantastic to see this being rolled out in Cork. Fine Gael are committed to alleviating the financial burden associated with transport costs to parents,” said deputy O’Shea. Fine Gael are all about putting money back in your pocket. I would urge all Cork residents to apply now for their eligible children.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Rural Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD said: “Along with Ministers O’Brien and Canney, I am delighted to see that the expansion of this scheme will support almost a quarter of a million more children and their families by providing access to free travel for under 9s, it also lays foundations for lifelong habits of sustainable travel.
“From an early age, children will become more familiar with using buses, trains, and trams as a natural part of daily life. This scheme represents a significant step towards a more fair and inclusive public transport system. As the NTA continues to roll out its National Fares Determination Strategy, this initiative builds on a series of measures designed to ensure that different passenger cohorts can benefit equally from our public transport offerings.”
“Parents juggling school runs or weekend trips into town will now see the benefits of free travel for young children. Importantly, it applies across all TFI services, including Local Link and services under Connecting Ireland, that are the backbone of connectivity for so many rural communities. This step ensures that families, whether in cities, towns, or villages, can access public transport offerings as part of daily life. This is Fine Gael delivering in Government, as we said we would.”
For more information and to apply for a child leap card, visit leapcard.ie
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