Pat Upton
Question:214 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated cost to the Exchequer of providing bus passes at 60 for retired people on the same terms currently provided for eligible people. [6069/97]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The free travel scheme operated by my Department is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over as well as to certain incapacitated people under that age who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. The scheme provides eligible people with free travel on a range of services provided by the CIE group of companies as well as on the services provided by a large number of private transport operators. There are currently about 486,000 people who qualify for free travel at an estimated cost this year of £32.60 million.
According to the 1996 labour force survey, there are 40,500 people in the State in the age group 60-65 years who are classified as being retired. It is estimated that the cost of extending the free travel scheme to that category would be in the region of £2.7 million per annum.