Minister Costello confirms that free travel scheme will continue

3 July 2014

by Cllr Joe Costello

Speaking in the Seanad today on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, Minister Joe Costello confirmed that the Government “has no plans to take travel passes away from pensioners.

“The Government appreciates the importance of the scheme and the value it provides to the hundreds of mostly elderly people who use it.

“The kite flying and scare mongering that certain organisations are engaging in is absolutely scandalous as there has never been a proposal to take the travel pass from senior citizens.   At present, 780,000 people are in receipt of the scheme at a cost of €77 million, and everybody over the age of 66 is automatically entitled to receive the travel pass.

“The scheme permits customers to travel for free on CIE public transport services, the LUAS and a range of services offered by 90 private operators throughout the country.  Moreover, free travel is also available on cross border journeys to and from Northern Ireland and within Northern Ireland under reciprocal arrangements with the Northern Ireland authorities.”