Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It would be an appalling vista to restrict the times at which people on free travel can travel. It would discriminate against older or sick people who have hospital appointments to keep or family arrangements to attend. Many people on free travel who are well may be helping others, for example by babysitting, and are working in the economy. My personal opinion is that it would be an appalling vista to exclude those people from the privilege of free travel on the basis of their age or medical status. We should never make second-class citizens of those who built the economy during their working lives.