asked the Minister for Social Welfare when recipients of British Old Age pensions will be granted free travel facilities by CIE; and what arrangements exist for notifying such pensioners of the operative date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Travel for Old Age Pensioners.
13.
A notice regarding the extension of the scheme of free travel to include persons aged 70 and over resident in the State who receive retirement pension from Britain and Northern Ireland appears in today's daily newspapers. It will also appear in provincial papers for the coming week-end. As stated in the notice, an eligible pensioner wishing to avail himself of the facilities, must complete an application form obtainable from the Department.
I thank the Minister for taking this step and I ask him if he will use his good offices to make the other benefit of free electricity available.
That is a separate question.
I merely wanted to ask the Minister to put in a good word.
14.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, where an old age pensioner is unable to travel to collect his or her pension, he will make free travel facilities available to the nominee of the pensioner.
The answer is in the negative.
Does the Minister appreciate that an old age pensioner who is bedridden, unable to travel to a post office to collect his pension, has to employ some neighbour or depend on the goodwill of some neighbour or relative to go, perhaps, three or four miles to collect it for him? Would the Minister not consider giving to that person the same facilities as are given to the pensioner himself?
I do not think it would be possible to extend the scheme.
This would be in locus of the person.
In many cases there would not be any such transport. The whole purpose of the scheme is to encourage and to enable old people to get out and about.
I am referring to people who cannot do so because it is physically impossible for them.
I would not agree with having the book in the hands of a certain person for the purpose of obtaining free transport.
If it were given to a particular nominee of the pensioner?
I do not think it would be feasible.
Will the Minister have a look at it to see if he can do anything?