Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she or her Department's officials have had any discussions with Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann or Veolia Transport (the Luas operator) regarding the free travel scheme; if these discussions have included proposed changes to the scheme as facilitated by these companies; the changes that have been discussed to date; if any plans are being proposed by the companies that will impact on the scheme as currently administered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19549/11]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will retain, for 2012, in its existing form, the free travel scheme available to all persons aged 66 years and over living permanently here, and other persons in receipt of certain social welfare benefits; if she will detail any review of this scheme that may be under way; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19548/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 241 together.

The current free travel scheme operated by the Department 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 Áth Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 90 private transport operators. Funding for the scheme was frozen by the previous Government at 2010 levels of expenditure as outlined in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 and the 2011 Budget. The Department, therefore, is not in a position to make payments in excess of that level of expenditure during 2011.

The Department has written to all companies operating the free travel scheme and has had discussions with a number of them regarding the current position of the scheme and in order to try to minimise the impact of the cap on expenditure on our customers. The Department has not proposed any changes to the operation of the scheme. The Government is undertaking a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure for all Departments. All the schemes operated by the Department of Social Protection, including the free travel scheme, are being examined in that context. The outcome of this review will inform the Department's decisions in relation to expenditure on schemes in 2012 and into the future.