My Department's free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over; 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 Department of Transport is addressing the issue of transport in rural areas through the rural transport initiative, RTI. Area Development Management Limited, is managing this scheme on behalf of that Department. My Department has contributed €500,000 to the RTI each year since 2003 and I have secured €500,000 for the initiative for 2005 and 2006. This is to ensure that free travel pass holders continue to have access to community-based transport services.
The organisation referred to by the Deputy is one of 34 pilots participating in the RTI. Payments are made to the 34 groups by ADM, based on estimated free travel passenger journeys. I have been informed by ADM that ECAT were allocated funding in 2004 based on their estimated number of free travel passenger journeys. When actual passenger journey details are available in January 2005 ADM hopes to be in a position to review the payments position and to make any adjustment necessary in respect of 2004 for all of the groups.