Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is not being awarded the family income supplement. [11430/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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An application for family income supplement, FIS, was received by my Department from the person concerned on 8 February 2006. One of the principal conditions for receipt of FIS is that a person must work at least 19 hours per week or 38 weeks per fortnight. Based on the information available to my Department, the person concerned was not considered to be in full-time remunerative employment, as prescribed in regulations. Accordingly, her claim was disallowed and she was advised of this decision and of her right to appeal to the independent social welfare appeals office.

Under social welfare legislation, decisions relating to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in making such decisions.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will extend free travel to older Irish emigrants, at the very least to Irish pensioners living in the UK, when they return here on their holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11479/06]

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. All carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance, regardless of their age, receive a free travel pass. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such as disability allowance, invalidity pension and blind person's pension. People resident in the State who are in receipt of a social security invalidity or disability payment from a country covered by EU regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement, and who have been in receipt of this payment for at least 12 months, are also eligible for free travel.

There have been a number of requests and inquiries relating to the extension of entitlement to free travel in Ireland to Irish-born people living outside Ireland, or to those in receipt of pensions from my Department, particularly in the UK when they return to Ireland for a visit. I am continuing to explore all aspects of an approach, subject to clarification of legal advice. I will continue to review the operation of the free travel scheme with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements as resources permit.