€70m paid yearly for free travel passes

The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has expressed shock that over €70m is paid out annually for free travel passes based on usage figures from 1973.

Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness questioned if funds paid to CIÉ and private firms were good value for taxpayers’ money, as the last survey on those who used passes was carried out four decades ago.

The Department of Social Protection admitted that there were no figures on how many used services today under the free transport scheme.