Vol. 545 No. 4
323 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider amending the terms of the free travel scheme to allow persons with visual impairment use taxis rather than buses for short urban journeys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30760/01]
The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by semi-State companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as services provided by some 80 private transport operators. The underlying feature of the scheme is the use of spare capacity. A scheme along the lines envisaged by the Deputy could potentially be extremely difficult to administer and there are no plans in this regard at present.
