# My mam has just gotten her travel pass



## elacsaplau (31 Jul 2020)

Just wondering about any good uses for this that may not be immediately obvious - like what ferries can she use it on in Ireland and apart from NI, does it have any currency internationally? And anything else to note....


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## Saavy99 (31 Jul 2020)

She's free on all trains and busses. Free trip out to the Aran Islands, if using it in Northern Ireland it's bit more complicated but look up citizen information about that. Can't be used outside of the country.

It's great perk to have but I don't know how long more the country can sustain it especially now with reduced capacity in all trains and busses.


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## Slim (31 Jul 2020)

Make sure she applies separately to NI for the NI pass. It's not automatic or all Ireland.


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## Saavy99 (31 Jul 2020)

Her spouse can also travel free with her even if that person is under pension age.


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## Sue Ellen (31 Jul 2020)

elacsaplau said:


> And anything else to note....



Hate to have to say this but with Covid still very active does she really want to be travelling much on public transport at the moment especially now that she has reached the age where she qualifies for free travel.


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## MrsBre (31 Jul 2020)

Saavy99 said:


> Her spouse can also travel free with her even if that person is under pension age.


She needs to check which card she has as there are 3 categories of free travel:

If *FT-P* is written on her Public Services Card, you personally are entitled to free travel.
If *FT+S* is written on her Public Services Card, your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can join you for free when you are travelling (they cannot travel for free alone). A cohabitant is one of a couple who live together, but are not married or in a civil partnership. Your spouse, civil partner or    cohabitant’s name will not be on the card.
If *FT+C* is written on her Public Services Card, a companion (over 16) can travel with you for free (because you are unable to travel alone for medical reasons).


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## elacsaplau (31 Jul 2020)

Hi Sue Ellen,

Fair point - I actually meant to caveat my initial post along those lines!


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## peemac (1 Aug 2020)

Previously it was valid at off peak times only, then some government changed it so that they could get more grey votes. 

This means premium seats are effectively subsidised by fare payers. 

It should revert back to off peak travel only and this would kill off talk about getting rid of it. 

Possibly have a special peak rate (same as child rate) for those who want to use peak times


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## NoRegretsCoyote (2 Aug 2020)

peemac said:


> Previously it was valid at off peak times only, then some government changed it so that they could get more grey votes.
> 
> This means premium seats are effectively subsidised by fare payers.



The original logic of the FTP was to spread demand more evenly over the day. Commuters got to travel with less congestion, pensioners got to travel for free if they went off peak. A win-win.

Allowing it for peak-time usage (Mary Hanafin I think in 06 or 07) was truly daft.


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## Purple (12 Aug 2020)

peemac said:


> It should revert back to off peak travel only and this would kill off talk about getting rid of it.


Or just get rid of it.


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## elacsaplau (12 Aug 2020)

Hey Purple - my recent jokes were just jokes........leave my poor mam out of this!


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## Saavy99 (12 Aug 2020)

Purple said:


> Or just get rid of it.


 
That's very flippant you obviously don't require the service. Many iolder people living in rural Ireland would be lost without it.


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## Purple (12 Aug 2020)

Saavy99 said:


> That's very flippant you obviously don't require the service. Many older people living in rural Ireland would be lost without it.


They are more likely to get lost if they use it

How about giving it to people who need it and not giving it to people who don't need it?
Do pensioners really need it? We have some of the highest pensions in the world and as a group pensioners are the richest people in Ireland with the lowest risk of living in poverty. I'd sooner see it given to those on low wages who have to use public transport to get to work.

How about a reduced rate rather than free?


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## Saavy99 (12 Aug 2020)

purple, you are aware that approx 50% of the population survive sorely on the State pension for their income. They not all rich. They the generation who went through the tough times earning a pittance here and abroad in years gone by.  But yes I agree it should be means tested but I'm sure the rich wouldn't travel on buses anyway.


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## Leo (13 Aug 2020)

Saavy99 said:


> purple, you are aware that approx 50% of the population survive sorely on the State pension for their income.



Imagine if free travel, free medical cards etc. were removed from some of the other 50%, there might be more in the kitty so support those who really need it. Maybe the tax burden on working people could be lowered and we could all save a little more for retirement.


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## joer (13 Aug 2020)

And speaking of retirement, I am that person and I hope to have my travel pass in a few months and I am looking forward to it. 
It will be the only free anything that I am entitled to.


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## Drakon (13 Aug 2020)

Saavy99 said:


> It's great perk to have but I don't know how long more the country can sustain it especially now with reduced capacity in all trains and busses.



No government would risk getting rid of this. The “grey vote” is too lucrative.
The Green Party are trying to increase public transport infrastructure, there is no way they’ll put any barriers to people using public transport.


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## Purple (9 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> And speaking of retirement, I am that person and I hope to have my travel pass in a few months and I am looking forward to it.
> It will be the only free anything that I am entitled to.


Will you not get a medical card?


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## Purple (9 Sep 2020)

Saavy99 said:


> purple, you are aware that approx 50% of the population survive solely on the State pension for their income. They not all rich.


 Welll... are they cohabiting but taxed as individuals? Do they have rental income? Do they have savings or shares? Are they sitting on hundreds of thousands they could release by trading down? Sure, many of them have to live off one of the most generous pensions in the world (along with their free travel, fuel allowance, living alone package, household benefits package, mobility allowance etc) but most are doing just fine. As a cohort they are the richest group in society who have the most savings, the highest disposable income and are least at risk of living in poverty. I like to see welfare going to those who need it, like that small minority of pensioners. 




Saavy99 said:


> They the generation who went through the tough times earning a pittance here and abroad in years gone by.


 So di the generation in their 40's and the generation in their 20's will never be able to have the homes or pensions of those who are now retired. Every generation works hard, let's stop the myth that pensioners had is harder than anyone else.


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## joer (9 Sep 2020)

No . I will not get a medical card. I do not qualify for one.


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## Purple (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> No . I will not get a medical card. I do not qualify for one.


Okay, so you'll only get the GP medical card when you are 70. You will get any prescription costs over €114 a month covered by the State, and retired people use the most prescription medication.  I'm not saying all retired people are living in the lap of luxury but they aren't starving either. It's also fair to say that they didn't all work hard all their life, they didn't all contribute to society and they didn't all suffer hardship and deprivation although some did. I'm not a fan of generalisations, good or bad, based on age, gender, colour, ethnicity or anything else.


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## joer (10 Sep 2020)

By the time I get to 70 there is no gusrantee I will get the GP medical card free , the goalposts have a habit of moving, and if my medical costs are anything like 114 euro per month I hope to be taking flights to Spain again. I am retired with a company pension so will not be in the lap of luxury but ok though.


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## Purple (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> By the time I get to 70 there is no gusrantee I will get the GP medical card free , the goalposts have a habit of moving, and if my medical costs are anything like 114 euro per month I hope to be taking flights to Spain again. I am retired with a company pension so will not be in the lap of luxury but ok though.


Glad to hear you have a company pension as well as your State pension. I agree that the goalposts keep moving; populist universal payments are expensive and fundamentally unfair; welfare should be targeted at groups based on their need, not on their propensity to vote.


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## joer (10 Sep 2020)

I will not get a state pension. I will only have my company pension.


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## Saavy99 (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> I will not get a state pension. I will only have my company pension.



Very easy for posters to make assumptions


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## Purple (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> I will not get a state pension. I will only have my company pension.


Oh, that's a pity. Not enough PRSI contributions?


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## joer (10 Sep 2020)

I worked for 40 years for a company, with useless PRSI contributions ,  so not enough time to work  after retirement to be eligible for the state pension . But I am luckier than many people and not complaining . It is just the way it is.


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## Early Riser (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> I worked for 40 years for a company, with useless PRSI contributions , so not enough time to work after retirement to be eligible for the state pension .



A semi-state ?


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## SparkRite (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> I worked for 40 years for a company, with useless PRSI contributions



And I bet you enjoyed 40 years of negligible chance of being sacked or made redundant as well .


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## joer (10 Sep 2020)

They went from semi state to private . There was always the chance of been sacked but it would have to have been something very serious. There was even talk of them going into examinership which  did not happen but It had a big influence on my decision  to retire though.


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## SparkRite (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> There was always the chance of been sacked but it would have to have been something very serious



Yeah, as I thought, negligible 'chance', though I suspect many of the 'chancers' should have been.  

Used to be a half decent place to work but over the last two decades or so has become what must rank in the top 5 world's worst telcos .
If my assumptions are correct.


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## Purple (10 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> They went from semi state to private . There was always the chance of been sacked but it would have to have been something very serious. There was even talk of them going into examinership which  did not happen but It had a big influence on my decision  to retire though.


Did the pension stay Defined Benefit?


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## Purple (10 Sep 2020)

SparkRite said:


> Yeah, as I thought, negligible 'chance', though I suspect many of the 'chancers' should have been.
> 
> Used to be a half decent place to work but over the last two decades or so has become what must rank in the top 5 world's worst telcos .
> If my assumptions are correct.


Possible because of repeated sales and a bit of asset stripping.


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## Saavy99 (10 Sep 2020)

What company are ye talking about


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## joer (10 Sep 2020)

First Post and Telegraphs, then Telecom Eireann, then Eircom and now Eir.


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## Purple (11 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> First Post and Telegraphs, then Telecom Eireann, then Eircom and now Eir.


In that case I'd be retiring too if I was you!


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## joer (11 Sep 2020)

In fairness I enjoyed working in the company. I had the pleasure of working with great people and met very interesting  people also. Having said that their customer service was always poor and has got worse despite us raising concerns , with management, for many years. Selective hearing comes to mind.


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## Purple (11 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> In fairness I enjoyed working in the company. I had the pleasure of working with great people and met very interesting  people also. Having said that their customer service was always poor and has got worse despite us raising concerns , with management, for many years. Selective hearing comes to mind.


From my remove it looks like a really bad example of how to privatise a company.  If I remember correctly all of the money raised from the initial flotation was used to plug the massive DB pension deficit. 
I was advised at the time by someone working for a foreign telecom company not to buy shares as they were treating their network as a capital asset rather than a current asset (remember Xtra Vision?). I'm glad I took his advice, though with a new baby and a new mortgage I'd no money to invest anyway.


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## joer (11 Sep 2020)

We better not talk about Eircom shares as that subject has been beaten to death. 
Because of so many owners it was stripped bare...


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## joanmul (13 Sep 2020)

Purple said:


> They are more likely to get lost if they use it
> 
> How about giving it to people who need it and not giving it to people who don't need it?
> Do pensioners really need it? We have some of the highest pensions in the world and as a group pensioners are the richest people in Ireland with the lowest risk of living in poverty. I'd sooner see it given to those on low wages who have to use public transport to get to work.
> ...


I worked all my life and paid my taxes. Why shouldn't I have it.


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## joanmul (13 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> And speaking of retirement, I am that person and I hope to have my travel pass in a few months and I am looking forward to it.
> It will be the only free anything that I am entitled to.


There is the free Gp visit card. That covers a lot - free flu injection etc.


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## joer (13 Sep 2020)

Pensioners are very entitled to free travel . We worked damn hard and are very entitled to some benefits . I do not get a free GP card either. I have never got the flu injection I do not feel the need to ....yet.


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

joanmul said:


> I worked all my life and paid my taxes. Why shouldn't I have it.


You should, if you need it. If you don't need it you shouldn't.
I've worked for the last 30 years and will be working for the next 20 (at least). I have never claimed any social welfare, I don't even get children's allowance for my children who live with me full time. I think it would be disgraceful if I received free travel or a medical card; I won't need it.


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> We worked damn hard and are very entitled to some benefits .


 All of you? 
All the people who lived off welfare, scammed the system, spent their lives robbing people, selling drugs, engaging in fraud etc. When they retire they are called pensioners. 
You get a State pension you didn't pay for (unless you earned a career average income of about €300,000 a year). I'll get the same. Is that not enough?


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## Saavy99 (14 Sep 2020)

Purple, calm down


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

Saavy99 said:


> Purple, calm down


The "we worked hard all our lived so we are entitled to things we didn't pay for and don't need" brigade gets to me.


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## NoRegretsCoyote (14 Sep 2020)

Purple said:


> I've worked for the last 30 years and will be working for the next 20 (at least). I have never claimed any social welfare



No one can guarantee themselves future employment with certainty, or indeed that disability won't strike.


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

NoRegretsCoyote said:


> No one can guarantee themselves future employment with certainty, or indeed that disability won't strike.


I agree.


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## joer (14 Sep 2020)

Take it easy Purple. I was an actual worker in Posts and Telegraphs when Poles had to be erected. When the wires, not cables, had to be put on the poles for miles. Then cables had to be put up when the demand grew for phone lines.  That was only some of the physical work that had to be done so I for one did not get it easy . It was lovely in the summer but not so much in the winter. You probably dont remember the old phone wires etc. 
So I make no apologies for any , of which there are very few , benefits that I am entitled to. The travel pass is the only thing that I want actually.


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> Take it easy Purple. I was an actual worker in Posts and Telegraphs when Poles had to be erected. When the wires, not cables, had to be put on the poles for miles. Then cables had to be put up when the demand grew for phone lines.  That was only some of the physical work that had to be done so I for one did not get it easy . It was lovely in the summer but not so much in the winter. You probably dont remember the old phone wires etc.
> So I make no apologies for any , of which there are very few , benefits that I am entitled to. The travel pass is the only thing that I want actually.


I'm talking in general terms, not about you specifically. I find the general sense of entitlement amongst older people shocking. 

I do remember the telegraph poles. I remember my grandparents getting their first phone and they lived in Kimmage.


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## joer (14 Sep 2020)

I know that you were not talking about me personally but there are a lot of people like me and probably more than the people that you were referring to . I thought you were getting over excited earlier . You should take up golf.......
I worked down the country in the times when people had to wind the phone handle to get the operator, that is not today or yesterday..


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> I know that you were not talking about me personally but there are a lot of people like me and probably more than the people that you were referring to . I thought you were getting over excited earlier .


 Yes, that can happen the odd time. 



joer said:


> You should take up golf.......


No time; single parent with 4 kids and a job. 




joer said:


> I worked down the country in the times when people had to wind the phone handle to get the operator, that is not today or yesterday..


 Wow, that was a while ago alright!


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## joer (14 Sep 2020)

You have your hands full alright but enjoy your kids because they wont be ling growing up. It only seems like the other day that my two were kids , now they are in their 30 s .


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## Purple (14 Sep 2020)

joer said:


> You have your hands full alright but enjoy your kids because they wont be ling growing up. It only seems like the other day that my two were kids , now they are in their 30 s .


I know; my oldest is 22 and my second son is just about to turn 18.


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## joer (14 Nov 2020)

I have the travel pass sorted, now to be able to make use of it   .


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## Saavy99 (14 Nov 2020)

joer said:


> I have the travel pass sorted, now to be able to make use of it   .



Congratulations, may you be blessed with good health and live long enough  to travel the length and  breadth of Ireland many times over.  Enjoy your retirement and oh don't forget to wear your mask on the buses  for the time being...


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## joer (14 Nov 2020)

Thanks Saavy I cannot wait to get travelling and will make use of it , mask or no mask....


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## Leper (14 Nov 2020)

joer said:


> Thanks Saavy I cannot wait to get travelling and will make use of it , mask or no mask....


1. Now apply for a Free Travel Pass for Northern Ireland. It'll take 10 days to approve.
2. Then travel to Belfast by train. Then take the train to Derry. It's one of the most beautiful train journeys in europe. And it's free.


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## joer (14 Nov 2020)

The application for the Northern Ireland pass is in the processing stage at the moment . 
That Belfast to Derry  trip will be on my to do list as it sounds good. And yes the best part of any trip is that it is free...


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