Varadkar supports travel card for elderly amid review

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar expressed support for the retention of the travel pass for older people as Age Action launched a campaign to protect it.

Age Action has warned the Government any “negative” changes to the scheme would be vehemently opposed by older people.

The Government is reviewing the free travel scheme for older people and people with disabilities.

A spokesperson for the Department of Social Protection said the review would be finalised shortly.

The review will be presented to Social Protection Minister Joan Burton and Mr Varadkar for their consideration.

Mr Varadkar told News-talk yesterday that around 1m people had free travel passes.

The Department of Social Protection pays CIE over €70m to operate the scheme.

While CIE would get more fare income if the scheme was scrapped, it would lose the income from the department.

“I actually think the free travel pass is a good thing. People pay tax all their lives and [it] is one of the small benefits they get when they retire,” Mr Varadkar said.

However, he said he would like to see a greater crackdown on fraud and a move to photo identification, which was happening with the new public service card.

Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said any attempt to meddle with or water down the scheme would create a whole new set of problems for Ireland’s ageing population.

He referred to a survey of 500 Age Action members that showed how older people relied on it for carrying out everyday tasks such as shopping, collecting pensions, doctor and hospital visits, visiting family and friends, and social activities.

Some 57% of respondents said they would not be able to keep medical appointments without the card, while more than half would not be able to shop or visit family or friends. Some 60% said they used their pass to go on a holiday or short break.

“Any negative changes to the scheme would be vehemently opposed by older people,” Mr Timmins said.

Age Action’s Hands Off Our Travel Passes campaign aims to rally political support to protect the travel pass scheme. Each week an updated list of who is supporting the campaign will be posted on its website www.ageaction.ie