Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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62. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if applications are accepted for a travel pass/companion pass from persons not in receipt of invalidity pension or qualifying payment, but who require such support on the basis of health grounds and who undertake rehabilitative employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8344/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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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. The Department does not accept applications from people under 66 who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment.

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.