Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 3

Written Answers. - Free Travel Companion Pass.

Tony Gregory

Question:

196 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7, who is over 80 years of age and cannot travel alone, can nominate a person to travel with her for inclusion on her travel pass. [17539/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The free travel companion pass facility allows certain incapacitated people, principally those receiving disability allowance and who are medically unfit to travel alone, to be accompanied free of charge by a person 16 years of age or over when travelling.

In the case of old age pensioners, this facility is available to those who are permanently wheelchair bound, those in respect of whom carers allowance is in payment and those who had the facility as recipients of disabled person's maintenance allowance previously. If the person concerned can show that she qualifies under any of these criteria, her entitlement will be reviewed.