Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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128. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration has been given to replacing the bus pass with a fuel voucher for elderly people that live rurally and cannot avail of public transport in the locality (details supplied). [26726/22]

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 approximately 1,030,000 customers with direct eligibility.  The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2022 is €95 million.

The objective of the free travel scheme is to ensure that older people and people with disabilities remain active within their community, and it has a significant role in promoting social inclusion and preventing their isolation.

Any decision to introduce a new scheme to give a fuel voucher to senior citizens that live rurally and cannot avail of public transport in the locality would have considerable budgetary consequences, would require significant administrative procedures to be put in place to decide which pensioners lived in areas that were deemed sufficiently remote to qualify, would be contingent on that pensioner's ability to use the voucher and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

My Department provides an annual funding contribution of €1.5 million towards the Transport for Ireland Local Links Programme, which is administered by the National Transport Authority.  The Programme provides services to people whose travel needs are not met by existing bus or train services.  The Programme aims to enhance and sustain nationwide accessibility through community-based participation, particularly for those at risk of social exclusion.  Services provided include door to door services on certain routes. 

Under the SWA scheme my Department may award a travel supplement, in any case where the particular circumstances of the case so warrant.  The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.  Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter.