Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

CIE is very happy to be part of the scheme which it sees as a valuable source of income. The company's income from other passengers has fallen owing to the economic collapse brought about by the bank guarantee and the difficulties in the construction sector. I am well aware that the company is anxious to continue to be part of the scheme, from which to date one company has withdrawn. That company operated a dedicated service from Galway to Dublin Airport. The proprietors met representatives from my Department early last December and advised that they had pulled out of the scheme because they considered it no longer commercially viable to continue. Pensioners wishing to travel from Galway to Dublin Airport and vice versa would, of course, be in a position to avail of other services. Other than that one instance, I am not aware of any operator - least of all CIE, which values this source of revenue - wishing to withdraw from the scheme.

As stated, some operators have suggested a degree of abuse has taken place perpetrated by people not entitled to free travel passes being in possession of them or of forged versions. Some 14 joint operations have been carried out with Veolia, the company which operates Luas. One of these, the multi-agency Operation Clean Tram, was designed to target fraud. The agencies involved carried out a number of exercises to identify persons engaged in the improper use of passes. During October and November a total of 46 passes were seized. Operations of this nature are ongoing in order to ensure only those properly entitled to free travel actually avail of it.

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