Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

202. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide free travel to the survivors of residential institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2575/15]

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

There are currently approximately 800,000 people in Ireland in receipt of free travel at an annual cost of €77 million per annum.

The free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State and this would include the majority of those who lived in residential institutions. 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.

Any decision to extend the free travel scheme to persons who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.