Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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283. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the detail of all services, including the name of the provider in each case and also those provided by private operators, for which holders are entitled to free travel as part of a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28410/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Since 1995 Northern Ireland Senior Citizens aged 65+ have been eligible for restricted cross border free travel from any point in Northern Ireland to any destination in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). The provision was further expanded in 2007, to allow Northern Ireland 65+ Senior Smart Pass holders, with passes marked with the specific codes 031 and 035, to travel for free not only to a destination across the border but also on internal public transport services when they arrive in the Republic of Ireland. For example, they are able to use Dublin bus services, Bus Éireann services, Luas, Dart and all private bus operators in the Department of Social Protection’s free travel scheme. All operators were advised of these conditions at the time of the introduction of the scheme. The full list of private operators obliged to carry Northern Ireland travel pass holders, and a sample of Department of Rural Development (DRD) Smart Pass cards which are acceptable under the free travel scheme have been forwarded to the Deputy for his information.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.