Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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66. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the free travel pass; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38718/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by almost 80 private transport operators. People resident in Ireland who are over 66 and persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments (including disability allowance, invalidity pension and carer’s allowance) are eligible for the scheme. There are currently approximately 836,000 customers with direct eligibility to free travel.

While the privatisation of public transport services is a matter for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I believe that any tendering process will include a requirement for successful bidders to accept the free travel pass. As with the private transport operators who already accept the free travel pass, any new private operators can apply to be accepted into the scheme. I am fully committed to the full retention of the scheme and to ensure this I was pleased to announce in Budget 2016 an increase of €3 million in its annual allocation.