Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding the introduction of an all-Ireland free travel scheme; the discussions he has had on this issue; the reason for the delay in its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30933/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The programme for Government contains a commitment to a scheme of all-Ireland free travel for pensioners resident in all parts of the island. The scheme would enable pensioners resident in Ireland to travel free of charge on all bus and rail services in Northern Ireland. Likewise, pensioners in Northern Ireland would travel free of charge on all bus and rail services in this State. In July 1995, my Department introduced the cross-Border free travel scheme. This scheme extended free travel entitlement so that free travel pass holders resident in Ireland could undertake a cross-Border journey from a point of departure in one jurisdiction to a destination in the other jurisdiction free of charge. My Department covers the full cost of cross-Border journeys made by Department of Social and Family Affairs pass holders it also covers the cost of the southern element of cross-Border journeys undertaken by Northern Ireland pass holders.

Under its own concessionary fares scheme, the Department for Regional Development for Northern Ireland covers the cost of the northern element of cross-Border bus and rail journeys made by Northern Ireland pass holders. A total of 220,000 free cross-Border journeys are undertaken each year at a total cost of €2.9 million; my Department pays €2.5 million and the remaining €400,000 is covered by the Department for Regional Development for Northern Ireland. The introduction of an all-Ireland free travel scheme would further extend the existing arrangements so that all free travel pass holders resident on the island of Ireland may undertake travel free of charge in all parts of the island. The cost of an all-Ireland free travel scheme will ultimately depend upon the extent to which pass holders avail of the scheme. My predecessor initiated discussions with the then Minister of State at the Department of Regional Development in Northern Ireland in September 2004. Most recently, the proposed scheme was discussed at the British-Irish Inter-governmental Conference on 27 June 2005 and I met Mr. Shaun Woodward, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office the following week during which we discussed the introduction of a scheme.

Officials from my Department have regular meetings with their counterparts in the Department for Regional Development for Northern Ireland concerning the operation of the existing cross-Border free travel scheme. Discussions on the introduction of the proposed all-Ireland free travel scheme have also taken place. Since I met with Shaun Woodward, discussions between officials from both sides have intensified and two meetings specifically related to the introduction of the proposed scheme have taken place — one in Dublin on 10 August and one in Belfast on 9 September last. Issues to be resolved involve policy, operational, financial and technical matters including the compatibility between the travel passes used in both jurisdictions, resourcing of the scheme and the options for joint funding. My Department will continue to progress these matters with officials from the Department for Regional Development for Northern Ireland, and other relevant parties.