Hayes urged to apologise over cut suggestion

Delegates at a meeting of the Age Action group yesterday demanded an apology from junior minister Brian Hayes after he appeared to suggest that the free travel scheme could be curtailed in the upcoming budget.

Up to 300 members of Age Action, attending a special event at Croke Park yesterday, voted to demand an apology from the Fine Gael minister of state, whose party colleague Regina Doherty TD said he had been giving a “personal opinion”.

Ms Doherty, one of a panel of speakers at the Croke Park conference, reiterated the view of Social Protection Minister Joan Burton that changes to the free travel scheme were not on the table.