Tipperary residents who are currently holders of the free travel pass are being assured that the scheme is not under threat.
South Tipperary native and Labour Senator Denis Landy has hit out at what he brands as scaremongering over the issue, as several private operators claim they can no longer afford to carry free passengers due to rising costs.
Its lead Age Action to demand government intervention to pay the firms a higher fee.
However, Senator Landy insists there is only one private company at the centre of this but that doesn’t mean the pass is under threat.