Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which he has assisted or will assist in the provision of free travel in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4735/06]

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.

The scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as services provided by over 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of private contractors providing services under the scheme operate in rural areas. The underlying feature of the scheme is the use of spare capacity on these transport services.

I am always willing to consider applications from licensed private transport operators who may wish to participate in the free travel scheme. However, while my Department pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not in a position to provide transport services where none exist.

The issue of access to public transport in rural areas is being addressed at present through the rural transport initiative, which is being managed by Pobal, formerly Area Development Management, ADM, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport.

My Department contributed €500,000 to the initiative in 2004, €750,000 in 2005 and is contributing €850,000 for the initiative in 2006. This will ensure that free travel pass holders continue to have full access to community based transport services.

Significant improvements have been made to the free schemes, including the free travel scheme, in recent budgets both in terms of the qualifying conditions and the coverage of the schemes. I will continue to review the operation of these schemes with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements as resources permit.