An all-Ireland free travel scheme that will benefit hundreds of thousands of transport users is to begin in April.
The scheme will become available on April 2nd and will allow 800,000 people from both sides of the Border to travel freely on bus, rail, air and ferry services across the 32 counties.
Some 600,000, mostly senior, citizens, benefit from free travel in the Republic, while the equivalent figure in the North is more than 200,000. Current annual expenditure on the scheme in the Republic is more than €58 million.
Northern travellers will be able to use their current Senior Smartpass when travelling in the Republic, but customers in the South travelling in the North will have to apply for a similar electronic Senior Smartpass from Department of Social and Family Affairs.
Details of the applications process will be given in advertisements in the national and regional media over the coming days.
Speaking today in Connolly Station, Dublin, this morning the Taoiseach said it was a "truly historic" initiative.
"Its introduction is another example of how close North-South co-operation can deliver real practical benefits for people throughout the island of Ireland," he added.
Minister for Social and Family Affairs Seamus Brenna said the all-Ireland free travel was the culmination of years of negotiations.
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