asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider amending the regulations governing the provision of free travel so that wives of persons in receipt of allowances under the Military Service (Pensions) Acts will qualify when travelling alone.

The free travel scheme administered by my Department for veterans of the War of Independence and their spouses has, from the outset, followed the conditions of that administered by the Department of Social Welfare for old age pensioners and their spouses. I do not propose to alter the existing position.