By Evelyn Cullen

PEOPLE with disabilities attending day services in Donegal will no longer have to pay the controversial €4 daily transport charge, following a Government funding decision hailed as a major breakthrough for equality in the North West.

The announcement was made this week by Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley, who confirmed that the Health Service Executive (HSE) will provide €250,000 this year to remove the fee. From January 2026, an additional €500,000 in annual core funding will be allocated to ensure transport supports for people with disabilities are maintained on a permanent basis.

The decision ends years of disparity in which people with disabilities in parts of Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan and Sligo faced a charge not imposed in other regions. The move has been warmly welcomed by Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher, who has worked closely with local advocacy groups to see the issue resolved.

“This is a very positive development and a major step forward in ensuring equity and fairness for people with disabilities in the North West,” Deputy Gallagher told the Donegal News. “For too long, individuals in these areas have borne a charge that others in different regions did not face. I am pleased to see this injustice being addressed.”

The Donegal Community Inclusion Training Services (DCITS) Advocacy Group has been at the forefront of the campaign to end the fee. Pat the Cope met with the group on several occasions last year, prior to his election to Dáil Éireann in 2024. He also arranged a conference call with then-Minister Anne Rabbitte to directly raise the matter.

In November 2024, Minister Rabbitte wrote to Deputy Gallagher confirming she had secured funding to address the charge. However, she noted that a number of issues remained to be resolved between her department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform before the money could be released to the HSE.

Those final hurdles have now been cleared, culminating in Minister Foley’s formal announcement this week.

“I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the DCITS Advocacy Group, who have campaigned persistently and powerfully to end this charge,” Deputy Gallagher said. “Their determination and clear messaging played a central role in securing this outcome. I was proud to meet with them and lend my full support to their campaign.”

The funding package agreed by Government not only removes the €4 daily charge immediately but also ensures that transport supports for people with disabilities will be built into the HSE’s budget going forward.

“This is not just a short-term fix. From January 2026, there will be permanent core funding for transport, meaning people with disabilities in Donegal will never again face this unjust burden,” Deputy Gallagher said.

For many in Donegal’s disability community, the abolition of the €4 daily fee marks the end of a long and frustrating chapter. For years, the charge had been a source of resentment, symbolising the uneven provision of services across the country.

With this week’s announcement, campaigners say the focus can now shift to ensuring accessible, reliable transport options are available to all who need them, without the burden of unfair financial costs. Campaigners have long argues that the issue was about fairness and dignity as much as about money, and say the decision marks a major step.

Deputy Gallagher expressed gratitude to both Minister Foley and former Minister Rabbitte for their commitment to resolving the matter. “This is a significant win for people with disabilities, and I will continue to work closely with advocacy groups and relevant departments to ensure the funding is implemented without delay and that similar inequalities are tackled wherever they exist,” he said.