Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On my own behalf and on behalf of my staff, I thank Deputy Carey for his compliments. The payments covered include the State pension (contributory), carer's benefit, health and safety benefit, illness benefit, treatment benefit, adoptive benefit, maternity benefit, paternity benefit, invalidity pension, partial capacity benefit, widow's, widower's and surviving civil partner's contributory pension, guardian's payment contributory, occupational injury benefit, widowed or surviving civil partner grant, jobseeker's benefit and family benefits, including the back-to-work family dividend, child benefit, guardian's payment non-contributory, domiciliary care allowance, one-parent family payment and working family payment. The corresponding UK payments are reciprocal to Irish citizens.

With regard to the free travel scheme, the all-Ireland free travel scheme was introduced in April 2007 through the programme for Government based on agreement with the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is not subject to EU legislation and, therefore, it will continue to operate unchanged after Brexit. We are currently reviewing the contractual arrangements with Translink, the company contracted to supply the senior smartpass card which is based in the UK, in Belfast and Hull, to ensure that we have full compliance with the data protection obligations under GDPR. This work is well advanced and necessary and it will be completed before B-day.

On the pensions question, the manner in which people currently receive their payments will continue on and after 29 March. There will be no change.

In regard to Deputy O'Dea's earlier reference to the article in this morning's edition of theIrish Independent, that relates to private pensions, which has nothing to do with my Department. I am aware that there are negotiations taking place between the private pension companies and the Central Bank with regard to a banking licence, which, again, has nothing to do with my Department. Irish people in receipt of an Irish pension and living in the UK and UK people in receipt of a UK pension and living in Ireland will continue to be paid in the same manner. There is no reason to change banks or to worry in any way.