Mayo politicians welcome news that free travel for children is extended

From today, the new TFI Child Leap Card will extend free travel on all TFI services for children between five and eight years of age living in Mayo. 

Senator Mark Duffy, Seanad spokesperson for Transport and a member of the Transport Committee, 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 the age of five. 

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 across Mayo. Fine Gael are committed to alleviating the financial burden associated with transport costs to parents,” said Senator Duffy.

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Minister Alan Dillon added: “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.”

For more information and to apply for a child leap card, visit leapcard.ie