Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It gives me great pleasure to remind Members in the Chamber that Mr. Charles Haughey, when he was Minister for Finance, introduced free travel for older people in 1967. It was a milestone in legislation. The other milestone he introduced was the Succession Act, whereby a man could no longer sell the family home over the head of his wife. Recent press reports, including in The Irish Timesyesterday, frightened older people, those over 66 and those with disabilities. My Government colleagues have raised this point and denied it but a senior Government source quoted in The Irish Timesstated it was unlikely that additional money will be made available next year. Many of the private transport providers have said they can no longer afford to do it. We hear regular discussions about a less restrictive budget in 2015. Why should the free travel scheme not benefit from this? The House should fully support the campaign of Age Action Ireland entitled "Hands off our travel passes".