Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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184. To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 23 March 2017, the number of journeys the €80 million allocation for the free travel pass accounted for annually in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [20905/17]

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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185. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the percentage per fare covered by the free travel pass as an average of fares taken under the free travel scheme in CIÉ companies. [20906/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together.

It is not possible to quantify the specific number of journeys undertaken annually under the free travel scheme. All transport companies participating in the free travel scheme are paid on the basis of fares foregone and payments are not made on a specific per journey basis. This method of payment to travel operators for participation in the free travel scheme is designed to take account of the guarantee of regular and predictable cash flow and the utilisation of spare capacity in transport infrastructure which might otherwise be underutilised.

My Department currently makes a block payment to the CIÉ Group. The apportionment of that payment between the three constituent companies, Bus Éireann, Bus Átha Cliath and Iarnród Éireann is a matter for determination by CIÉ. A discount of 40% is applied to that payment to reflect fares foregone.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.