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.
Time restrictions have been a feature of free travel scheme since its inception. They do not, however, apply in the case of mentally-handicapped people, people attending long-term rehabilitation courses or certain work experience programmes and certain other disabled or blind people. These people are issued with an unrestricted free travel pass which enables them to travel during the normally restricted travel times. The central issue in regard to time restrictions relates to capacity constraints. Where restrictions apply it is at the request of the transport companies because the transport system is under severe pressure from commuters travelling to and from work and school in the morning and evening. There are no peak time travel restrictions on DART and suburban rail services, and on services provided by private transport operators in other parts of the country. A review of the free schemes was recently published by the policy institute, Trinity College Dublin. The review notes that the demands for the easing of time restrictions are, without exception, based on the fact that people have difficulty attending hospitals for appointments that fall within the restricted peak times. The review recommends that the Department of Health and Children and the health boards should examine this problem with a view to introducing more convenient and flexible appointments for free travel pass holders. My Department has written to the Department of Health and Children bringing this recommendation to their attention.
