Sir, – According to a recent report from Age Action Ireland, only 17 per cent of Irish people aged 65-74 possess “basic digital skills”.
Irish Rail’s ticket and seat reservation services are heavily weighted towards its online booking system.
While older people in possession of a free travel pass have the option to reserve a seat prior to their rail journeys, the reality is that most of them don’t know how to do so.
Based on the level of overcrowding experienced on some train services, and the number of older people affected by it, I suspect that Irish Rail is not properly anticipating, or else is wilfully ignoring, the level of demand for its services from Ireland’s older citizens.
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Whatever the reason, this type of systemic discrimination is completely unacceptable from a state-sponsored public service. – Yours, etc,
KIERAN RYAN,
Westport, Co Mayo.
Sir, – Barry Kenny states that Iarnród Éireann will not have new rolling stock in place until (at least) 2021 (Home News, August 23rd). Can he therefore explain the large scale scrapping (destruction) of large number of Mark 3 carriages at both Inchicore and Waterford in recent years? – Yours, etc,
DONAL MOORE,
Ferrybank,
Waterford.
A chara, – Last Friday evening I travelled by train from Dublin to Tralee. It was a pleasure.
It appears you can only keep some of the Irish rail passengers standing some of the time. – Is mise,
DERMOT O’ROURKE,
Lucan, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Conditions on Irish Rail carriages are truly deplorable. May I suggest a simple fix which could alleviate cramped conditions, thereby enhancing the travel experience for thousands of weary commuters?
The simple expedient of attaching external handles and foot plates to carriages, with limited application to carriage roofs as well, would facilitate additional space provision thus releasing the pressure on internal seating. I am reliably informed that this works very successfully on the Indian sub-continent and provides for a bracing and engaging travel experience for all concerned. – Yours, etc,
GERRY WALKER,
Tinahely,
CoWicklow.