John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It has, however, provided the Government with the opportunity to confirm that the scheme will continue. The previous Administration froze the subsidy relating to the scheme in 2010. In the context of protecting the scheme for those who are entitled to avail of it, I received anecdotal evidence from pensioners I have met who, while travelling to Galway, Wexford or wherever, saw young people in their 20s on public transport who were in possession of free travel passes and who had slabs of beer with them. Obviously, the suggestion in this regard is that the scheme is being abused.

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