Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals to extend the free travel scheme to Irish pensioners living abroad while they are holidaying here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33642/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It applies to travel within the State and cross-Border journeys between here and Northern Ireland.

There have been a number of requests and inquiries in relation to the extension of entitlement to free travel to Irish born people living outside Ireland, particularly in the UK. This issue has now been examined in considerable detail. The legal advice available to me is that such a proposal would be contrary to the EC treaty, which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of nationality. While taking this advice on board, I intend to continue to examine any options that remain available.