Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Feb 1996

Vol. 462 No. 1

Written Answers. - Free Travel Companion Passes.

Rory O'Hanlon

Question:

48 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated cost of introducing a companion pass for the small number of blind old-age pensioners who are currently not eligible; if he will ensure that all blind old-age pensioners are entitled to a companion pass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18810/95]

Rory O'Hanlon

Question:

100 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated cost of extending the companion travel pass to contributory old age pensioners who would qualify in view of blindness. [18258/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 100 together.

The free travel companion pass, which was introduced in 1990, is aimed primarily at incapacitated people who are unable to travel alone and who would otherwise be unable to benefit under the free travel scheme. It is a special version of the standard travel pass and enables a companion to travel free with the passholder.

Free travel companion passes are available to people in receipt of a blind person's pension from my Department and to certain other people who are currently, or who were previously, in receipt of a disabled person's maintenance allowance from the health boards. Companion passes are also available to people in receipt of invalidity pension who are wheelchair-bound. As announced in last month's budget, companion passes are also to be given to blind or visually impaired children with effect from next July.

Persons in receipt of a blind person's pension who reach pension age and qualify for the old age (non-contributory) pension retain their free travel companion pass. Furthermore, pensioners who become blind have the option of applying for the blind person's pension which, if granted, would be paid in lieu of their old age pension. In these circumstances, they would also qualify for the companion pass. Last year, the companion pass was further extended to include existing free travel passholders who are being cared for by recipients of the carer's allowance.

No statistics are maintained by my Department as to the number of people who qualify for old age (non-contributory) pension and who subsequently become blind. However, as said earlier, people in this category may apply to be transferred to blind pension which is payable at the same rate as old age (non-contributory) pension.

Information is not available as to the number of blind recipients of old age (contributory) pension. People in this category would normally not qualify for blind pension during their working lives due to the application of the means test.