Martin Cullen
Question:48 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Social Welfare his views on whether it is necessary to have holders' addresses printed on free travel passes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Free Travel Passes.
All people over age 66 who are permanently resident in the State are entitled to a free travel pass. In addition, people under 66 who suffer from certain types of incapacity may also qualify for free travel. There are currently 450,000 people holding free travel passes. The scheme costs £29.7 million per annum.
There is a number of reasons it is necessary to use addresses on free travel passes. A substantial number of people are entitled to free travel. Accordingly, there is some potential for misuse of passes which have been lost or stolen. While the scale of misuse of passes is small, the CIE group of companies — the main providers of free travel — find that address details on passes help them prevent abuse.
From an administrative viewpoint, the printing of addresses on free travel passes ensures that new and replacement passes can be enveloped and issued by my Department to free travel customers with the minimum of delay. About 45,000 such passes are issued by my Department annually. While not directly relevant to free travel, the pass, with its address information, is recognised as identification for people voting in national and local elections.