We received an email about this yesterday, little investigation reveals that the guilty party if there is one is the Dept of Family and Social Affairs.
As we understand it currently there exists a single pass valid in the circumstances referred to. It appears this is well known within the CIE group and staff are aware of this case. Anyone else who presents themselves in the scenario described do not have a valid pass and therefore are rightly refused free travel.
If the Dept of Family and Social Affairs have approved the issue of the passes in such cases then Irish Rail are under the terms of the free travel agreement required to accept them, no evidence has been produced to indicate the contary occurring. Naturally free travel is subject to the pass holder presenting themselves at the booking office to obtain a ticket, matching the pass owner at the ticket check and that there is no suspicion of a counterfeit pass.
Irish Rail are acting as agents of the Dept of Family and Social Affairs and are required to follow the rules they set, Irish Rail cannot set restrictions on free travel (only restriction is special/charter trains i.e. non PSO), its entirely the Dept of Family and Social Affairs realm.
A serious crack down on misuse of the free travel scheme is underway, far too often has the partner companion pass been the subject of abuse. A new type of pass will be issued in coming years to further block unauthorised use.
One thing we can agree on is the free travel scheme is a mess, is subject to serious abuse and the cost to provide the travel is not fully reimbursed to the transport companies resulting in fare paying passengers subsidising those on the free travel scheme.
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