Vol. 396 No. 2
36 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that owing to queues for medical treatment, many people are travelling to hospitals at an earlier hour each day; if he will make arrangements for those entitled to free travel, particularly old people, to travel at an earlier time than 9.40 a.m.; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
From the inception of the free travel scheme restrictions have applied on the availability of free travel at certain times. These restrictions apply, inter alia, to city bus services in Dublin, Cork and Limerick from 7 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, inclusive. The restrictions have been imposed because the services concerned are under severe pressure from commuters travelling to or from work or school and would not be able to cope with the additional influx of passengers which could arise if the restrictions did not apply. The restrictions in question do not apply in the case of mentally handicapped persons, or persons attending long-term rehabilitation courses or blind persons attending full-time rehabilitation courses.
Expenditure on the free travel scheme in 1990 will be £27 million. An extension of the schemes on the lines proposed would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context. Any easing of the restrictions would also have significant implications for Bus Atha Cliath and Bus Éireann, whose services would be affected.
Deputies will also be aware of the initiatives announced recently by my colleague the Minister for Health including the setting up of a Dublin hospitals initiative. Out-patient arrangements will be one of the issues to be addressed in the context of that initiative.
