Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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222. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if immediate steps can be taken to restore a travel pass in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38256/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The 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 over 80 private transport operators. There are currently more than 900,000 customers with direct eligibility at an annual cost of €90 million.

The scheme is available to all individuals 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.

In this particular instance, the person concerned qualified for a free travel pass when they became eligible for carer's allowance. When their entitlement to carer's allowance ceased on the 11th July 2018 their entitlement to free travel also ceased.

I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.