Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1170. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the support that can be provided to persons who are blind and registered with the National Council for the Blind but are in employment and consequently would have their travel pass withdrawn having taken up employment but would be totally reliant for the rest of their lives on public transport; the provisions that can be made to provide a travel pass to support persons in this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46148/17]

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1171. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the support that can be provided to persons who are blind and registered with the National Council for the Blind but are in employment and consequently would have their travel pass withdrawn having taken up employment but would be totally reliant for the rest of their lives on public transport; the provisions which can be made to provide a travel pass to support persons in this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46721/17]

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1257. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the circumstances in which a discretionary travel pass can be granted to persons who were in receipt of disability allowance due to the fact they were blind and registered with the National Council for the Blind but have taken up employment and consequently lose their disability allowance and also lose their travel pass and in circumstances in which they will rely on public transport for the rest for their lives, including getting to and from work; if there are provisions whereby a travel pass can be granted in these situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46722/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1170, 1171 and 1257 together.

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 almost 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 897,000 customers in receipt of free travel.

Persons resident in Ireland who are over 66 and persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments are eligible for the scheme. The social welfare payments that allow persons aged under 66 to a free travel pass include disability allowance, invalidity pension, carer’s allowance, blind pension and partial capacity benefit. While medical evidence will be required to determine eligibility for these schemes, such medical evidence does not entitle anyone to free travel. It is the fact of being in receipt of a qualifying payment rather than the fact of having a disability that gives rise to the entitlement. The scheme largely assists people who, as a result of old age or disability, are not in a position to work and who are consequently of limited means.

There are no discretionary free travel passes issued on medical grounds.

Under the Make Work Pay initiative, from the 6th April 2017, people who move off long-term disability schemes including blind pension and disability allowance into employment can retain their free travel pass for 5 years.

Any decision to extend the free travel scheme to people on medical grounds would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.