Vol. 325 No. 8
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the large number of people in South Tipperary who are unable to avail themselves of the free transport scheme either because of the non-availability of public transport in their areas or the inability of private operators to work the scheme; and the steps he proposes to take to remedy the situation.
171.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consult with private transport operators in South Tipperary with a view to enabling people there who cannot at present avail themselves of the free transport scheme to benefit under the scheme in the future.
172.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his Department have any estimate of the number of people in South Tipperary who do not at present benefit from the free transport scheme because of circumstances outside their control.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 170, 171 and 172 together.
I am aware that there are areas of South Tipperary where the free travel scheme does not operate either because of the absence of public transport or the unwillingness of private bus operators in those areas to participate in the scheme. My Department has been in touch with all private operators in the State with a view to ensuring their participation in the scheme. On a number of occasions in recent years my Department wrote to a private bus operator in South Tipperary inviting him to participate in the scheme but these invitations were not accepted. Nevertheless I have again instructed my Department to invite all such private bus operators who provide regular scheduled services on a year round basis to reconsider participation in the scheme.
The Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to operate the free travel scheme in areas not catered for by bus and rail services and I cannot, of course, compel any bus operator to provide a service under the free travel scheme.
I should, however, mention that persons in such areas may, if their means are not sufficient to meet their travel needs, qualify for assistance with their special travel costs under the Health or Supplementary Welfare Allowances Acts as appropriate.
The provision of an estimate of the number of people in South Tipperary who do not at present benefit from the free transport scheme is not, I regret to say, feasible in view of the fact that records are not kept on a geographical basis.
