asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the issue of a free travel permit in respect of the wife of a contributory old age pensioner who is herself over 70 and would be eligible for an old age pension in her own right but for the fact that she is treated as a dependant of her husband.

The dependent wife of a contributory old age pensioner who is herself over 70 is already entitled to free travel and any such person is, on request, issued with a separate pension book to enable her to avail herself of the facility.

Is the Minister aware that a large number of these people have not got a second travel permit and that many of them are not aware that they can request it? Would the Minister make this fact public?

I am making it as public as I can but I will look into the matter to see if anything further can be done to make this fact known. If the adult dependant is over 70 years or is a contributory old age pensioner she may get a second book so that she may avail of the free travel.