The National Transport Authority has shelved plans "indefinitely" to introduce flexi tax saver travel tickets, it has been announced.
The scheme was planned to be introduced in order to help hybrid workers return to the office for a few days per week.
These tickets have traditionally saved commuters anything from 28% to 50% on the standard price of their journey.
Due to more people remote working, the traditional five-day flexi tax saver ticket is redundant so the NTA was tasked with developing a two or three-day ticket.
The National Transport Authority had been due to release these new tickets in the first quarter of 2022.
Unfortunately developing a two or three-day tax saver ticket has been "considerably more complex" than the NTA had predicted.
Taxsaver tickets were first introduced in 1999 as a way to incentivise people to take public transport to and from work.
In order to avail of it, employers must register online to "receive log in details and start purchasing monthly or annual tickets for their employees, which are then applied to Personalised Leap Cards."
During the height of the pandemic, when public transports use was at its lowest, the NTA extended annual passes by six months.
The NTA issued the following statement to Dublin Live.
A spokesperson said: "During the period of the pandemic NTA has had to respond quickly to changing circumstances and adjust the Taxsaver products to reflect fast changing travel patterns."
"In 2020 all annual Taxsaver tickets were extended by 6 months in recognition that many customers were unable to use their ticket to the extent they normally did."
"In addition, NTA also accommodated large numbers of Taxsaver customers who sought refunds for their Taxsaver tickets. Refunds were provided even where some limited use had been made of the annual ticket."
"It is not clear yet the actual travel patterns that will become established, nor the extent to which hybrid working will be adopted post Covid."
"However, NTA has recognised that a new approach to incentivise longer distance commuters to use public transport is required. It is becoming increasingly clear that a significant number of public transport commuters are seeking a range of products that will support a range of hybrid work patterns."
"During 2021 NTA identified a possible flexible Taxsaver product approach that was initially anticipated could be developed relatively quickly. However, following extensive discussions with the partners required to deliver this solution it became clear it was considerably more complex than initially envisaged."
"NTA is currently in discussions with its partners and with the Department of Transport reviewing options to delivering products suitable for flexible working arrangements that can be introduced as soon as possible."
