Vol. 454 No. 3
147 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Social Welfare if persons who are in receipt of a carer's allowance and hold a companion bus pass will be allowed to travel on their own; and the number of people who would qualify under such a scheme. [10542/95]
148 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Social Welfare the persons who will qualify for a companion bus pass under the new scheme to be introduced from 1 July 1995. [10543/95]
It is proposed to answer Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.
The free travel companion pass is a variation on the standard free travel pass. The companion pass is available to people who qualify for free travel and who, on account of a disability, are unable to travel alone. Such incapacitated people are facilitated to use public transport services when they are accompanied by a companion, was also travels free of charge. The majority of existing companion passholders are either blind or mentally handicapped.
From 1 July 1995, the companison pass scheme is being extended to existing free travel passholders who are being cared for by a recipient of a carer's allowance. This will enable both the person being cared for and the carer to avail of free travel when travelling together on public transport. However, a person over 16 other than the carer may accompany the passholder. This will ensure the carer can be relieved as they choose.
In order to ensure that as many qualified people as possible benefit under this extension, my Department is currently contacting all existing recipients of carers' allowance to notify them of this development in the free travel scheme. It is not possible at this stage to quantify the exact numbers of people who will benefit under this extension of free travel services. There are nearly 5,700 recipients of carer's allowance at present. It is expected that a large proportion of the incapacitated people they are caring for will avail of this concession.
