asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to a newspaper report of 12 August 1979 where a Deputy forwards an application for free travel on behalf of a constituent to his Department that the free travel pass for the constituent, if eligible to receive same, is forwarded in the first instance to the Deputy concerned and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Free Travel.
441.
My attention has been drawn to the article concerned. The position is that all passes to eligible applicants are normally issued direct to the applicants by post. If, however, my Department have reason to believe in a particular case that delivery of a free travel pass may be expedited by transmitting a pass by other means, including transmission to a Deputy or Senator who has made representations in a case, this is done.
During the recent postal dispute all passes issued in response to representations by Dáil Deputies and Senators were issued through the Deputy or Senator making the representations.