Social Welfare Benefits.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004

Tuesday, 29 June 2004

Questions (416)

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

416 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the hours of free travel will be extended to facilitate persons who are required to attend early morning hospital appointments at 9 a.m.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19055/04]

Written answers

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. 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 more than 80 private transport operators. The underlying feature of the scheme is the use of spare capacity on these transport services.

Time restrictions have been a feature of the free travel scheme since its inception. The central issue in regard to time restrictions is that of capacity constraints and the pressure on the transport system from commuters travelling to and from work and school in the morning and evening. However, time restrictions do not apply in the case of people with learning disabilities, people attending long-term rehabilitation courses or certain work experience programmes and certain other people with disabilities. These people are issued with an unrestricted free travel pass, which enables them to travel during the normally restricted travel times. Also, there are no peak time travel restrictions on DART, suburban rail services, and on services provided by private transport operators in other parts of the country. In addition, free travel pass holders will be able to travel free of charge on Luas at all times.

Any general lifting of the existing time restrictions could cause capacity problems for transport operators. In exceptional circumstances, where hospital appointments cannot be arranged out of peak travel time, my Department can issue a temporary unrestricted free travel pass. Requests for such passes are considered on a case-by-case basis and passes are only granted in exceptional circumstances.