Free travel could be extended to all pensioners throughout Ireland, the Dail was told.

The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, said he had raised the issue with his counterpart in Northern Ireland when the Executive was in operation before, and it was something "I would like to promote with my colleague North of the Border. I would like to think we could do it on this island as a start."

He said the free travel scheme for pensioners cost almost €2 million in 1998, but extending it across the EU would cost up to €15 million. Mr Jim O'Keeffe (FG, Cork South West) called for the extension of the scheme to Irish emigrants in Britain.

Mr Ahern said he had commissioned a review on the issue, which concluded that free travel should be restricted to those resident in Ireland.

"If one gives free travel to UK residents, it must be done on a Europe-wide basis," he said, adding that such a possibility was raised at EU level.