Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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501. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 539 of 6 October 2020, if her Department is reimbursing providers for the free travel scheme that are also operating the same services under the LocalLink or rural transport programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34748/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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 approx. 980,000 customers with direct eligibility. The 2020 funding allocation for the Free Travel scheme is €95 million.

The provider concerned was a participant in the Free Travel scheme during the period 2015 to 2019 for the routes outlined and has been paid accordingly for the carriage of Free Travel passengers.

Free Travel passengers are entitled to use their free travel pass on Local Link services. Local Link services are administered by the National Transport Authority. Queries relating to Local Link services should be directed to the National Transport Authority, Dún Scéine, Iveagh Court, Harcourt Lane, Dublin 2 D02 WT20.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.