Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to make changes to the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7202/16]

Joan 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. Additionally, customers aged 66 years and over can travel for free on journeys within Northern Ireland.

The Free Travel Scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to customers under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type payments. There are currently approximately 848,000 customers with direct eligibility for Free Travel.

I have no plans to make any changes to the free travel scheme at this time and I have stated on a number of occasions that I believe that this is a very good scheme which should remain in place. I am committed to its retention and in order to maintain service at existing levels, an additional funding of €3 million was provided for in Budget 2016, increasing the scheme’s annual funding to €80 million.