Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am aware that the Minister for Social Protection insisted last night that there is no threat to the free travel pass. Similar promises have been made in the past so she will forgive us for being a little sceptical. I am sure she remembers her colleague, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, signing a pre-election pledge not to increase third level fees. We know what happened to that. The Minister herself made a commitment in the House not to cut the one-parent family payment until a proper system of child care was put in place. In April 2012, she told us she would only proceed with measures to reduce the upper age limit to seven years in the event that she received a credible and bankable commitment on the delivery of a Scandinavian style system of child care by the time of that year's budget. That also fell through.

I hope the review of the scheme is not a distraction created by Government to cover for planned cuts in other areas such as the electricity allowance. This is certainly a fear shared by many older people. Like other vulnerable groups, elderly people have not been protected from austerity by the Government. The increase in prescription charges and cuts to the fuel allowance, telephone allowance, respite care grant, invalidity pension and the bereavement grant have all hit the elderly. Like everyone else, their incomes had been further reduced by the property tax and, soon, water charges. As Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan pointed out last night, many are supporting their adult children or grandchildren who may be unemployed or in negative equity.

I was struck by a phrase used by the CEO of Alone after the 2014 budget. He said the cuts undermined the dignity of older people. It is a powerful phrase and gets to the heart of the matter. Elderly people, like everyone else in society, have a right to live with dignity. The charity has seen a 50% increase in calls in the past two years. Many older people depend on State supports to keep out of poverty and the free travel pass is part of that. It is also crucial to prevent isolation and loneliness among older citizens. For those who are single or widowed, the ability to get out and simply interact with others on a day-to-day basis is vital. It is something the rest of us may take for granted, but the Government should not.

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