Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 March 2018
424. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the full year cost of operating the free travel scheme; the estimated cost of increasing expenditure by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14744/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 904,000 customers with direct eligibility. The scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. To qualify for the scheme, applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment. These are invalidity pension, blind pension, disability allowance, carer’s allowance or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or one with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.
In order to maintain service at existing levels, and to facilitate new entrants/services to the scheme, funding to the free travel scheme was increased by €10 million in Budget 2018, an increase of 12.5%.
The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2018 is €90 million. To increase the cost by 10% would require an additional €9 million bringing the total expenditure for the scheme up to €99 million.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
