Older people are likely to be able to travel on public transport without peak-time travel restrictions from next year.
Officials at the Department of Social Affairs are in discussions over the abolition of restrictions which apply to the free travel scheme on Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and provincial city services in Cork and Limerick.
Progress is also being made on plans to extend free travel for older people and holders of free travel passes - such as carers and certain people with disabilities - to the North by next year.
A spokesman for Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan said he hoped agreement could be reached on both issues by the end of the year. Peak-time travel restrictions apply to Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. Dublin Bus's restrictions, for example, apply from 7am to 9pm, and from 4.30pm to 6.30pm from Monday to Friday. There are no such restrictions for the Luas and Dart, suburban rail services or private transport operators.
The free travel scheme permits a recipient to travel for free on most CIÉ public transport services, the Luas, and a range of services offered by 80 private operators throughout the country.
There are currently about 640,000 customers in receipt of the free travel at an annual cost to the State of almost €60 million.
There is a Government commitment, meanwhile, to an all-Ireland free travel scheme by 2007.
Officials say "good progress" is being made on such a scheme and talks are continuing on both sides of the Border.
