Vol. 546 No. 3
308 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the extent to which free travel is available to people living in areas without public transport; the extent to which he intends to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31931/01]
The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by semi-State companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as services provided by some 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of these private contractors operate in rural areas. My Department is always willing to consider further applications from licensed private transport operators who may wish to participate in the free travel scheme.
Two main groups have difficulties in accessing public transport, those who have a disability which prevents them using the service and those for whom a service does not exist which mainly affects those living in rural areas. This problem, which is unrelated to the free travel scheme, is part of a wider social and infrastructure problem, affecting all those who are disadvantaged and who can neither afford their own transport nor avail of access to public transport.
While my Department pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not in a position to provide services where none exist, nor is it in a position to provide vehicles accessible to people with disabilities. These are matters for the transport providers concerned and for my colleague the Minister for Public Enterprise who has responsibility for public transport.
In this regard, an interdepartmental committee on rural transport chaired by the Department of Public Enterprise is considering issues relating to the availability of transport services in rural areas. I understand the committee will report in the new year.
309 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will improve the means test in respect of qualification for disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31932/01]
Since responsibility for the main means tested payment for people with disabilities, that is, the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme, was transferred from the health boards to my Department in October 1996, a range of significant improvements, including improvements in the means testing arrangements, have been introduced. As a consequence, there has been a substantial increase in the number of recipients of disability allowance – up from 34,500 in October 1996 to 57,160 at the end of November 2001, an increase of 66%.
The main improvements in the means testing arrangements which have been provided for and which also apply to the means tested blind person's pension scheme include substantial increases in the amount of earnings from rehabilitative employment which may be disregarded for means test purposes. With the further increase announced in last week's budget, the level of this disregard will have almost tripled – up from £35.20 – 44.70 – to £94.50 – 120.00. This disregard has also been extended to earnings from rehabilitative self-employment.
