Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

The Minister has considered many items today on the basis of advice from the Opposition. If he cannot get around the difficulties he outlined, will he consider introducing free travel for all pensioners who visit Ireland? Perhaps it would be a great tourist attraction. It might be a good investment from the State's point of view to give such free travel at off-peak times. I do not know what the cost would be. If it works out at €74 per year, that divided by 12 is a small amount. I am sure anyone coming to Ireland would spend much more than that and leave a great deal of money in the country.

I do not expect a great flood of French, German, Latvian or Polish pensioners because they can get free travel on buses throughout the country at off-peak times. It is not an issue. Perhaps if the Minister cannot get over it in one way, he can get over it in another.

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