Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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292. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to increase the age of eligibility for the free travel scheme to 67 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14331/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 approximately 80 private transport operators. Free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland, and within Northern Ireland for those aged 66 years and over. 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. There are currently approx. 850,000 customers with direct eligibility with an annual allocation of €80 million.

While the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will increase to 67 years in 2021, no decision has been made at this time as to whether there will be a corresponding increase in the age for receipt of the free travel pass.