Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

This is exactly my question. I wish to know if the Minister will raise this issue "with the Minister for Social Protection and the National Transport Authority". People in rural Ireland are facing difficulties in respect of their free travel passes not being accepted by some private bus companies. To reiterate, this is more disadvantaging of the people of rural Ireland. Those who live in our cities are likely to be able to catch a Bus Éireann bus, a Dublin Bus, a Luas or a DART and those who qualify for the free travel scheme will have their passes accepted on all those services. There are, however, chunks of rural Ireland where the services do not accept the free travel pass. The Government itself has stated a limited number of private operators accept the free travel pass. Again, there is a need for some joined-up thinking in this regard. Will the Minister raise this issue with the Department of Social Protection and the NTA and try to resolve the difficulty?

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