Sir, – There is nothing to stop Frank Durkin (December 10th) from buying a ticket to wherever he wishes to travel and thus paying his way on public transport, and supporting Dublin Bus and Irish Rail.
But please leave the rest of us to benefit from free travel. We, who don’t even get half of the pension figure of €50,000 he quotes, need to get to our hospital and rehabilitation appointments (two buses each way) and to attend to more elderly relatives (two and four hours away on trains, respectively).
Most of us use public transport out of necessity and are so grateful for it! Yet another bill would leave us at a great disadvantage. Not to mention the fact that many have paid tax for our long working lives. – Yours, etc,
C BROPHY,
Dublin15.
Sir, – Frank Durkin’s suggestion that pensioners with an income over a certain level should make some monetary contribution toward their free travel pass is an interesting idea. While he’s waiting for the politicians to implement this reasonable suggestion, and await political annihilation at the next election, perhaps he might get the ball rolling and set an example by actually paying his fare on his next trip. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN McMAHON,
Naas, Co Kildare.