| Senior citizens keen to take up offer
of free all-Ireland travel SOME 10,000 older people in the Republic
of Ireland have expressed an interest in the new “all-Ireland”
free travel scheme since it began last week.
Customers from the Republic wishing to take advantage of the free travel
concession in the North are required to obtain an electronic Senior Smartpass
which they must apply for through the Department of Social and Family
Affairs.
According to Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan
more than 7,000 senior citizens in the country have submitted completed
application forms for the electronic cards in recent days, while almost
3,000 have also requested application forms.
The new travel scheme allows individuals aged 66 and over, who are resident
in the State, to travel free of charge on all bus and rail services in
the North of Ireland. Over-65s in the North can also travel free on services
participating in the scheme in the South.
In the Republic, more than 430,000 of the 600,000 customers currently
in receipt of free travel are aged 66 or over.
In the North, some 200,000 senior citizens are eligible under the concessionary
fares scheme.
Expressing satisfaction with the level of applications to date, Mr Brennan
said: “This clearly reflects the popularity of the all-island scheme.
“It is an initiative that will help to build new understandings
and friendships throughout the island.” |
