Gabrielle McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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38. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the free travel companion pass for visually impaired children will be widened to include children with other physical or intellectual disabilities; if she will provide some form of concessionary travel scheme for children with other physical or intellectual disabilities who are under 16 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9348/15]

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. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme.

There is a provision for free travel passes for visually impaired children who satisfy the medical conditions for the blind pension. The provision is a long standing one based on supports for the blind, including the blind pension, that predated other supports for the disabled.

Children with other disabilities may qualify for the domiciliary care allowance. This is a monthly payment of €309.50 to the carer of a child with a disability. The allowance may be used for the additional costs involved in caring for the child and this may include additional transport costs. On most transport services children under sixteen years of age are charged fares at special concessionary child rates.

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.