It's only the Dublin-Cork I've ever checked - I hadn't realized that Irish Rail seem to quietly apply a TGV style premium for this service.When was the last time you checked train fares in Ireland? Apart from Cork/Kerry most other journeys are very reasonable if you book online. What sort of price would be acceptable to you? Whilst 1m people may have access to free travel there certainly weren't hordes of them using it when I was going up and down from Galway to Dublin for a few months.
I think the fares reductions seem to have passed people by as they haven't been looking to use the train so base their decisions on what used to be the case. €15 for the train to Galway from Dublin is great value.
Agreed. My point in noting them above was more to do with the claim that they and other public transport facilities are axiomatically good for the environment.Yes, there may be local links going around the country half empty bit for those people who do use them, they are a vital part of rural life. Public transport is a social service as much as a transport service.
Free Travel Pass holders do not generally take seats away from paying customers
So free travel pass holders do take seats away from paying passengers at peak times - that's my point!Public Transport is not generally full apart from peak times
Not for others, for their own family. That is a pretty normal part of family lifeThe fact is older people are saving others a fortune in todays world
Wow, OAP's are now marriage counsellors, good to knowWhat would older parents (by choice) do today with their family and work situation if it wasn't for grandparents minding their children, their marriages too in a lot of cases
This reinforces the point that everyone else is making. They can afford to do it , they are not financially vulnerableGrannies and granddads in very very many cases are helping to pay mortgages for their children.
If you feel it's your duty then you should be fully informed. OAP's are not one single group of people. Those living closer to poverty throughout their lifetime will invariably be closer to poverty in retirement. You are not one of those so if you want to stand up for anyone it should be those of all ages that are struggling financially.I feel it's a duty for the likes of me to stand up for them as I've recently moved into the pensioner generation also
Wouldn't it be great if we all got paid for doing our own household chores. It's your choice to help your children. If you feel you deserve a wage then speak to your employer i.e. your children.Some weeks would see 1 of us in the west and the other in the east helping out with childminding, cooking, cleaning, money, shopping, schooling, etc. We are but one couple among thousands upon thousands doing this and we don't get paid for what sometimes is a full time job
If you want perspective, I come from a large family and not one of us use our mother for child care and we wouldn't dream of it. She might do an occasional night of baby sitting but it is always mutually beneficial. We don't keep score but any good gesture is always reciprocated. Some of us are local and others are spread around the country (myself included). Anytime she comes to visit we typically take time off so we can do leisurely activities and she can enjoy time spent with her grandchildren.Just trying to put a bit of perspective on the situation and hope you might see things as they really are, not what collected so called data is saying.
Probably the only point you have made that is in some way true. There will always be those who sacrifice too much for the betterment of their children. They want the next generation of their family to have more than they ever had which is commendable. But they make that choice knowing the consequences and those that make it are usually happy to do so.Lots of house-hunters today are given the deposit for buying their house by pensioners, in lots of cases the old people leave themselves broke in doing so and will never see their money again
I was sure that was the case a few years ago, I must have that wrong so. Apologies.As a FTP pass holder I regularly travel travel between Waterford and Dublin and I book both tickets and designated seats without any charge.
I haven't come across the €5 charge for booking seats.
What about necessary journeys like hospital appointments?No, but maybe the restriction on hours of use should be restored for rush hour.
There's a row on my Facebook feed this morning about Bus Eireann bringing in a €2 booking charge (including for free travel passholders) on the Dublin-Cavan-Donegal expressway route.As a FTP pass holder I regularly travel travel between Waterford and Dublin and I book both tickets and designated seats without any charge.
I haven't come across the €5 charge for booking seats.
Aren't pretty much all rush hour journeys necessary, as people rarely subject themselves to that for the craic?What about necessary journeys like hospital appointments?
If they weren't travelling, wouldn't they be going to cafes and restaurants locally?Free travel benefits the hospitality sector. It encourages older people to go on trips and spend their fairly limited income in cafes and restaurants etc. This is also beneficial to health, mental and physical. If travel costs had to be factored into these activities many pensioners would be considerably restricted.
It shouldn't be a great burden to pay for them on those infrequent occasions when they are needed.What about necessary journeys like hospital appointments?
not sure how that ended up being a quote from me - it was from DeiseBlueThere's a row on my Facebook feed this morning about Bus Eireann bringing in a €2 booking charge (including for free travel passholders) on the Dublin-Cavan-Donegal expressway route.
There is a feel-good factor about free travel which encourages the elderly to be a little adventurous and to splash out during their twilight years. This is very noticeable on occasions on the bus, the train or the Luas. It was a generous and also politically astute decision in the first instance.T-o remove it at this stage or to alter it it any way would be incredibly mean-spirited, undeniably foolish and not worth the cost financially speakingIf they weren't travelling, wouldn't they be going to cafes and restaurants locally?
Families with children don't enjoy free travel and yet also have mental and physical health needs and often find themselves considerably restricted.
Again this could just as easily be said of families with small children, or indeed any other societal group.There is a feel-good factor about free travel which encourages the elderly to be a little adventurous and to splash out during their twilight years. This is very noticeable on occasions on the bus, the train or the Luas. It was a generous and also politically astute decision in the first instance.T-o remove it at this stage or to alter it it any way would be incredibly mean-spirited, undeniably foolish and not worth the cost financially speaking
It was the case, but possibly only on the lines where they first introduced the automatic name/ref# LED panels.I was sure that was the case a few years ago, I must have that wrong so. Apologies.
People who need it should get it. People who don't shouldn't. Therefore if a pensioner on a low income needs to go to the hospital during peak times or any time they would be able to use their free travel. Well off pensioners should have to pay for it, on the off chance they don't drive, get a taxi or have a family member bring them.What about necessary journeys like hospital appointments?
Agreed! It would be great if travel were free for all and private vehicle ownership were drastically reduced.Again this could just as easily be said of families with small children, or indeed any other societal group.
Everyone likes free stuff.
No it wouldn't. On either count.Agreed! It would be great if travel were free for all and private vehicle ownership were drastically reduced.
Twilight years? At 66 when you get your "other people pay for it pass" your life expectancy is around 90.There is a feel-good factor about free travel which encourages the elderly to be a little adventurous and to splash out during their twilight years.
I'm sure it is.This is very noticeable on occasions on the bus, the train or the Luas.
Giving free things to rich people, funded by both poor and rich people, isn't what I would call generous.It was a generous and also politically astute decision in the first instance.
Again, why is taking something from rich people which is funded by both poor and rich people mean spirited?T-o remove it at this stage or to alter it it any way would be incredibly mean-spirited,
True; old people are very entitled and they vote.undeniably foolish
Why? What's the financial cost of not giving it to rich old people?and not worth the cost financially speaking
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