Written answers

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Department of Social Protection

Free Travel Scheme Administration

Photo of Michael McCarthyMichael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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177. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on extending the free travel scheme to all carers in receipt of the respite care grant in order to enhance access to services and reduce social isolation, particularly for carers living in rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32798/15]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Free Travel Scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by up to 80 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. There are currently approximately 836,000 customers 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. 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. The Government will finalise its consideration of the Budget in the coming weeks and the outcome of this process will be announced on Budget Day.

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