Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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161. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount of money paid to each private bus operator for the operation of the free travel scheme, by route, in 2014. [42700/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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162. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the routes served by each private non-Bus Éireann and non-Dublin Bus operator on which eligible persons can use the free travel pass. [42701/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.

The 2014 and 2015 budget allocation for the Free Travel Scheme was €77 million and for 2016 it has been increased to €80 million.

In 2014 approximately €61.2 million was paid to the CIÉ group in respect of free travel on Irish Rail, Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus, €10.83 million to other operators, €1.5 million for the Rural Transport Programme and the remainder was allocated for the cross-border and All-Ireland travel schemes.

The Department does not now provide information on the amount of money paid to each private bus operator for the operation of the Free Travel Scheme by route as it can cause difficulties for the Department’s engagement with those operators who view such information as commercially sensitive. It can also result in some of the Department’s negotiating position been disclosed. The Deputy will appreciate that the Freedom of Information Act 2014 recognises these concerns as it facilitates the withholding of such information under section 30 where the State’s negotiating position could be compromised and under section 36 where the information is of a commercially sensitive nature.

The details of the routes served by each private operator within the Free Travel Scheme have been forwarded to the Deputy by email.