Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2013
574. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the future of the free travel scheme in the context of the budget 2014 (details supplied) and the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46960/13]
View answerThe free travel scheme was introduced in 1967 in order to provide transport services to those aged over 70 who were living alone and in receipt of a social welfare pension. Owing to the range of policy changes implemented in the interim, the scheme is now universally available to all persons permanently living in the State aged over 65, as well as carers in receipt of carers allowance, and certain others in receipt of disability type payments. The effect of this broadening is that there are currently in excess of 770,000 customers eligible for free travel and, when spousal and companion passes are taken into account, there are over 1.2 million customers with some free travel eligibility. Expenditure on this scheme was frozen at 2010 levels by the previous Government. The available expenditure for the free travel scheme in 2013 is €77 million.
Given the increasing number of recipients and the funding pressures, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and I established a working group with representatives from the two Departments, as well as the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority to review the free travel scheme. The purpose of this review is to examine and report on the current operation and future development of the free travel scheme. This will include the conditions imposed on the scheme in the National Recovery Plan 2011 – 2014. The work of this group is expected to conclude this year.
Question No. 575 withdrawn.
