Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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45. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount currently paid to bus operators nationally for the free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10958/15]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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75. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if payments to bus operators under the free travel scheme are reduced where those bus operators reduce the number of stops they make on the routes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10959/15]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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76. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide clarification on aspects relating to the Free Travel Scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10960/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 75 and 76 together.

The free travel scheme permits free travel on most CIE public transport services, Luas and a range of services offered by some 80 private operators in various parts of the country for those eligible under the scheme. There are currently in excess of 810,000 customers with direct eligibility with an annual allocation of €77 million.

Approximately €61.3 million is paid to the CIÉ group in respect of free travel on Irish Rail, Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus, €11.2 million to other operators, €1.5 million for the Rural Transport Programme and the remainder is allocated for the cross-border and All-Ireland travel schemes.

Operators often make changes to their routes, including increasing and reducing the number and location of stops. This requires the approval of the licensing authority, which is the National Transport Authority. Where there are significant changes to the operation of a particular route, the funding for free travel may be reviewed by the Department.

As regards routes with PSO funding, including routes previously operated by CIÉ, it is my intention that private operators will be able to apply to participate in the free travel scheme.

In regard to the cap on funding imposed by the previous Government at a time of increasing free travel passenger numbers, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and I established an interdepartmental working group to examine and report on the current operation and future development of the free travel scheme. The interdepartmental group has concluded its work and I expect to see a copy of its review shortly.