Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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100. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a guarantee that the free travel pass will not be removed from those in receipt of disability allowance and other disability-related payments. [30424/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to customers under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type payments. There are currently over 790,000 customers in receipt of free travel. The scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by up to 90 private operators in various parts of the country. Free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland. Customers aged 66 years and over can travel for free on journeys within Northern Ireland.

Funding for the free travel scheme was capped by the previous Government as outlined in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014. To implement this funding cap during a time in which passenger numbers have been increasing each year my Department has had to impose a freeze on the amounts paid to companies and a complete restriction on the admittance of new companies or routes to the scheme. There was no change to the eligibility criteria for the scheme.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and I established a working group with representatives from the two Departments, as well as the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority to review the free travel scheme. National Transport Authority to review the free travel scheme.

I am aware of the value of the free travel scheme to the elderly and people with disabilities. This review is about ensuring the viability and sustainability of the Free Travel scheme into the future given the increasing number of recipients and the funding pressures. Both the Minister for Transport and I have made it clear that the free travel pass is safe, has been protected in recent budgets and will continue to be protected.