asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether, in view of the high cost of transport, he will introduce a scheme providing free public transport for unemployed persons.

Such a scheme is not contemplated at present.

Would the Minister not agree that there are precedents for the establishment of this kind of facility for disadvantaged persons and that it does act as a disincentive to somebody who is unemployed to go round looking for work if he is going to have to pay what is an increasing amount of his relatively small allowance on bus fares?

Yes, there are two aspects of it which I am sure the Deputy will appreciate. The first is the simple matter of cost. The next question is one of priorities. The free travel scheme, as the Deputy knows, has been extended from time to time to new categories of person; whether the unemployed category would be the next in line of priority I would not like to say at this stage but it would be a very expensive extension.

I am sure it would be a very expensive scheme. The fact that it is expensive is due largely to successive Governments' inability to find work for these people. Would the Minister not agree that these people are disadvantaged through no fault of their own and primarily because successive Governments have left so many of them unemployed and in this very vulnerable position in our society?

I am sure the Deputy will agree with me that the real answer is to eliminate—not eliminate, but reduce—the unemployment figures.

That has been the fundamental problem for the last 60 years.

Would the Minister be agreeable to providing this transport if it were financially feasible and would he ask CIE the times at which such transport would be available because of buses being relatively empty in off-peak hours during which time the unemployed could be facilitated without undue expense?

That is the main thinking behind the existing free transport scheme. It is available to persons who can travel during off-peak periods and is, therefore, less expensive. As I said, from the point of view of the unemployed the two questions are whether we can afford it at any given time and, secondly, whether it should be extended to the unemployed in preference to other categories. I am sure every Deputy would have his own particular preference as to what section of the community it should be extended.

Would the Minister even consider this on the limited scale? If a person is bona fide unemployed and goes to the exchange or the Garda station could he be given a voucher there which would recoup him, even if he is travelling to collect? That would not involve any likelihood of an abuse of the scheme. Would the Minister consider even a limited scheme?

Any matter like that can, of course, be considered when these things are being reviewed.

I am calling the next question.

Just one supplementary. Is the Minister arguing that the buses are fully utilised during the day?

Certainly not.

Then why is it so expensive to utilise the slack periods for a scheme like this?

The existing free travel scheme is quite expensive and any extension of it to the unemployed would make it more expensive still.

Do CIE charge at the same rate or is there a special arrangement?

Those are two separate questions. I must insist on calling the next question. Question No. 12.