Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Lawyers differ in all these matters. I want to do this. It is my intention. I will not give up on it. If one confines it to pensions it is not particularly expensive. If I could get around the legal issue, there are many people in the UK to whom I really want to extend it who are outside the pensioner group and are perhaps in greater need of it — those in the pre-1953 category who have been over there for a long time. I would not be too hopeful in that area.

I appreciate the Deputy raising it again. It is firmly on my agenda. In the coming weeks I will be able to announce that we have made a breakthrough on the extension of travel within the North for our citizens and on travel for northerners on our services. There will be further meetings with the Northern Ireland authorities to tie that matter down. That one is nearly achieved. My next target will be to see whether I can get the 31,000 category organised.

My legal advice is firm but I want to put some other thoughts to the Attorney General's office. I would value a copy of those parliamentary questions from the European Parliament and I thank the Deputy for bringing them to my attention. If he could let me have them, I will study them and come back to him on it.

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