Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Yes. The free travel scheme is available to people living in the State who are over 66 years irrespective of needs. Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 years whose late spouses were in receipt of the household benefits package or free travel retain that entitlement to ensure householders do not suffer loss of entitlement. The allowances outlive the spouse.

The schemes exist to support people with a range of disabilities and elderly people living alone. The estimated cost of extending the overall package to those widows or widowers who were in receipt of a widow's or widower's pension or one parent family payments, and who are not currently receiving the household benefit package, is approximately €35 million annually. This cost, however, only applies to the widows and widowers who are in receipt of a widow's or widower's pension from the Department. It does not take account of widows and widowers who may be in receipt of other social welfare payments. I do not have precise figures for the number of people involved but I can get them for the Senator.