Vol. 557 No. 2
275 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps she is taking to ensure Irish born senior citizen emigrants living in the UK have free travel on public transport when they return here on holiday. [21670/02]
The free travel scheme is generally available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments.
The free travel scheme, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland concessionary travel scheme provides free travel on cross-Border routes for passholders of both jurisdictions. This scheme applies to cross-border journeys and not travel exclusively within either jurisdiction. The Government is committed in The Programme for Government to setting in place an all-Ireland free travel scheme for pensioners resident in all parts of this island.
At EU level, a report "Towards a Senior Euro Pass", which was commissioned by the Social Affairs Directorate of the European Commission, recommends that EU States should establish a senior Euro pass card which would entitle older people to concessions on various services, including travel, cultural and social activities.
The senior Euro pass card would have to be developed at EU level and, while no firm proposals have been tabled to date, it is likely that this issue will feature in future policy developments in the social area.
