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Ireland: Pensioners and elderly being ‘taken for a ride’ by Minister

 

Western People, June 18, 2003

Ireland - Pensioners and people with disability who live in rural areas are being “taken for a ride” by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs as regards free travel entitlements, according to Deputy Michael Ring.

The fiery Mayo Deputy, who is spokesman on Social and Family affairs for Fine Gael, has railed against “the blather” engaged in by Minister Mary Coughlan in response to a demand by Deputy Ring for vouchers to be issued to free travel pass holders who cannot avail of public transport.

“There is blatant discrimination being practiced by the Minister against the elderly and disabled people who live off the public transport routes.
“They have an entitlement to free transport but they can’t avail of it because no service exists.

“The simple solution to end the discrimination is to provide vouchers to these people which they can use with private transport providers to get them to the point where they can avail of public transport.

“I have questioned the Minister on this matter a number of times and all I have got from her is a load of gobbledygook and poppycock that does not address the issue.

“The people are being taken for a ride and it is not good enough. There is a simple solution to the problem but the Minister refuses to address it,” said Deputy Ring.

The free travel scheme is generally available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments.

The 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 over 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of these private contractors operate in rural areas.

However, while the Department of Social and Family Affairs pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not in a position to provide transport services where none exist.

There is also a Rural Transport Initiative (RTI) in thirty-three community based projects receiving funding to provide innovative community-based transport services, on a pilot basis, in rural areas.

“None of these initiatives address the ongoing problem of free transport in those areas where public transport does not exist. There is no need for pilot studies,” said Deputy Ring.

“What is needed and what the Minister refuses to contemplate is a voucher to enable people get transport to an area where they can continue by public transport. It is very simple but it appears to be beyond the comprehension of the Minister.”


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