Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

298. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if persons with epilepsy who are able to show that they would be refused a driving licence had they applied for one will be granted an entitlement to free travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27191/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The free travel scheme is available on a universal basis to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under 66 are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.

There are currently over 790,000 people in receipt of free travel. Funding for the scheme was frozen at €77 million per annum in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 and the 2011 Budget. This freeze on funding remains in place. For this reason, my Department is not in a position to consider extending the scheme to those aged under 66 years who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment from the Department.