The free travel scheme was introduced in 1967. The scheme is intended to encourage older people and people with disabilities to remain independent and active in the community. The scheme also facilitates mobility for those without access to cars and the greater use of public transport infrastructure during off-peak times. From its inception, the scheme applied to the services operated by the CIE Group. The services covered have been extended progressively since 1967 and, at this point, there are some 80 private bus, ferry and air operators participating in the scheme.
Participation in the scheme is open to all transport operators licensed to operate a public scheduled service, who are properly insured and hold a current tax clearance certificate. Operators who meet these criteria and who wish to participate in the scheme can expect to have their applications accepted. This policy is designed to maximise access to the scheme among the categories who are eligible to travel free. The policy is successful with, for example, an overall increase of 32 in the number of private operators participating in the scheme since the beginning of January 1997.
In addition to the improvements in the range of services covered by the scheme, the categories who qualify for the scheme have been extended over the years and improvements have also been made to facilitate the use of the scheme. For example, since coming into office I have provided for the retention of the free travel pass by recipients of invalidity pension, disability allowance and blind persons pension when they transfer to another long-term social welfare payment. I have also extended the free travel companion pass to all persons aged 75 and over who are medically unfit to travel alone. In the recent budget, the companion pass scheme was extended to invalidity pensioners who are unable to travel unaccompanied. This standardises the qualifying conditions for a companion pass for recipients of invalidity pension and disability allowance. Further improvements will be considered in the light of emerging needs and the overall budgetary situation.