Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join my party colleagues and commend our party spokesperson, Deputy Willie O'Dea, for bringing forward the motion and putting it firmly on the political agenda in advance of the Government making a decision on the review it has commissioned. We all know why there should be genuine concern about Government's review of the free travel scheme. It is based on our experience of what it has done to date, particularly the recent experience of its review of medical cards, on foot of which thousands of discretionary medical cards were removed, yet we saw members of the Government day in, day out try to deny that people were losing their medical cards. On the back of this, it is only reasonable and appropriate that we ensure the Minister of State is given the strong message - "hands off the free travel scheme". We have seen the impact of the the policies of the Government in the past three years as they affected older people, in particular, who use the free travel pass more than anyone else. We have seen the period during the fuel allowance is paid reduced from 32 weeks to 26 and the free electricity allowance reduced to such an extent that for many, it is worth only one fifth of what it was. The Government abolished the free telephone allowance, while there was an increase in prescriptions charges, with which many older people are hit every month when they go to obtain essential medications.

I point for the Minister of State to the impact of the Government's decision on the free travel scheme in County Donegal. On many of the routes operated by the Lough Swilly Bus Company there was approval of the use of the free travel pass, but that company went out of business and the routes were operated by other bus companies. Up to now the Government has refused to extend the free travel scheme to these companies. That means that a pensioner who used to be able to use his or her free travel pass to travel from Buncrana to Derry would be faced with paying the full fare of €8.75 return were it not for the fact that the new bus company, McGonagle buses, which has taken over the route is charging half fare of its own accord. Why should the free travel pass held by pensioners, mainly based on the Inishowen Peninsula in this instance, be worthless, while pensioners in other parts of the country can rightly use their pass to get around? I have tabled parliamentary questions to the Minister on this issue, but she has refused to relent and extend the free travel pass scheme to these new routes. It is unacceptable. When the Government is taking this approach to use of the pass on routes such as the Buncrana-Derry service, removing the eligiblity of pensioners and others to use the pass, is it not right that we should be concerned about its plans for the departmental review of the scheme?

It is right that we would be concerned about the Government's plans in regard to the departmental review of the free travel scheme. If Government was genuinely committed to ensuring that people will continue to be able to avail of that scheme, it would not be restricting access to it in a number of situations.

I call on the Minister of State, Deputy White, to discuss with the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, the extension of the free travel scheme to people in Donegal previously serviced by the Lough Swilly Bus Company in order that, like other people throughout the country who have access to the scheme, they are enabled to get around to do their daily business. It is unacceptable that these people would be left in a situation in which their passes are worthless. We all know - it has been mentioned several times already tonight - the value of the free travel pass to people over 66 years of age. The evidence suggests that 80% of people over 66 years of age rely solely on the their old age pension. These people require the free travel pass to enable them to get about. One often hears people say on turning 66 that it is great that they now have access to the free travel scheme. It means a great deal to them.

I remind the Minister of State, Deputy White, that the free travel scheme was first introduced by Fianna Fáil. Regardless of the attempts to have a go at Fianna Fáil, its track record in relation to caring for older people and ensuring they have the services they need in order to have a decent quality of life is second to none. I ask that the Minister of State ensure that there is a change of approach in terms of how these issues are dealt with. The free travel scheme must be maintained as is and extended to those in County Donegal who are currently being refused access to it.

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