Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 6

Written Answers. - Free Travel Scheme.

Enda Kenny

Question:

335 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the fact that, while the Government pays substantial subvention to Iarnród Éireann on an annual basis, free travel cannot be availed of by a significant number of those who hold such passes due to the fact that they are disabled and access to trains is not a feasible proposition; if he will consider making free travel passes applicable in respect of taxis which would have greater access to the disabled community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8956/00]

Richard Bruton

Question:

342 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the cost of extending the companion pass to cover persons with a medical certificate indicating that they had a significant medical problem making it difficult to travel alone; and if he will introduce such a concession on a pilot basis in Dublin. [9117/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 342 together.

The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over, and to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance. It is also available to certain people with disabilities and people who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.

The free travel companion pass, which is available to certain people who are medically assessed as unfit to travel alone, enables a person 16 years of age, or over, to accompany the pass holder free of charge.

The companion pass is available to recipients of a disability allowance, formerly disabled person's maintenance allowance, who are certified as unfit to travel alone. In general, a companion free travel pass is available to persons aged over 66 years who held a pass when they were under 66. Other eligible categories include people who are blind, confined to wheelchairs, those who are 75 years and over who are certified as unfit to travel alone and people who are being cared for by a carer who is in receipt of a carer's allowance.

As the Deputies are aware, a fundamental review of the free schemes of this Department is nearing completion and will be published shortly by the Policy Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, in the Studies in Public Policy series. The issues raised by the Deputies are examined in the review.

In anticipation of the review findings, I announced two specific measures in budget 2000. These are the extension of the free schemes to all persons aged 75 years and over, regardless of their income and household composition and the extension of the free electricity allowance and free television licence to all carers in receipt of the carer's allowance and to carers who are caring for people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relatives allowance. Both of these measures will be implemented from October 2000 at an estimated full year cost of £6 million.

I will consider further measures when I examine the final report in the context of future budgetary policy.