asked the Minister for Defence if he will make arrangements with the appropriate Departments and CIE that members of the Old IRA be allowed to retain their special travel identity card instead of producing their old age pension book.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old IRA Free Travel Facilities.
57.
The free travel concession for persons in receipt of old age pensions from the Department of Social Welfare was made available to certain categories of veterans of the War of Independence in accordance with the Budget Statement of the Minister for Finance in 1968. The scheme does not apply to persons eligible for the concession under the Department of Social Welfare Scheme. It is not proposed to alter this position. A veteran of the War of Independence who has a free travel card and who subsequently qualifies for an old age pension is permitted to retain his card if he so desires.
Would the Minister consider circularising veterans of the War of Independence to inform them that they may retain their cards? Further, can the Minister say when the wives of these men will be likely to receive free transport facilities as announced in the Budget?
In the first place, I doubt the necessity of further publication of the fact that holders of these cards may retain them if they so wish. In reply to the second part of the Deputy's supplementary, while this is a separate question, I think that free travel cards for the wives of IRA veterans will come into operation about mid-July.
58.
asked the Minister for Defence the amount paid to CIE in respect of the provision of free transport facilities for Old IRA veterans; and the basis on which the grant is calculated.
The amount paid to CIE in respect of the provision of free transport facilities for veterans of the War of Independence from the inception of the scheme in July, 1968, to the 31st May, 1970 is £45,491 15s 9d. Payment for the travel cards issued to veterans is made on the basis of an annual rate, negotiated with CIE in respect of each card issued.
59.
asked the Minister for Defence the cost of extending the free transport facilities to widows of Old IRA veterans.
Information is not available in my Department as to the number of widows of veterans of the War of Independence. Accordingly, I am unable to estimate the cost of extending the free transport facilities to them.
Would it be very complicated for the Minister to ascertain how many people of this category there are in the country? I do not think there are very many.
I feel it would be quite a considerable undertaking to establish the number of widows of IRA veterans. However, it is a matter with which I am sympathetic and I will look into it.