Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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206. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the criteria and rules for entitlement to free travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25997/19]

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 almost 80 private transport operators. There are currently approximately 948,000 customers with direct eligibility to free travel with an annual allocation of €95 million.

The scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. To qualify for the scheme, applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment. These 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.

The general criteria and rules for entitlement to the free travel scheme can be found on my Departments website www.welfare.ieand clicking on the “Other Supports” link. If the Deputy has a specific query or information that he needs clarification on, my officials will be happy to provide the required information.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.