On the commuter trains in every carriage there are at least 4 seats marked with this sign.

Commuting on the train each day can be a lottery in terms of getting a seat. Depending on how packed it is, how generous other commuters are and how pissed off and stroppy I am I try to get any seat in the carriage. Sometimes I stand and try to catch the eye and guilt trip someone into giving me their seat. I can’t stand for 30 minutes in a packed cattle train, sometimes I have to or at least I can’t do the asking and nobody does the offering.

I have twice made my way to those sitting in those marked seats and asked to have the seat as a disabled person. Both times I have been met by grunts or other signs of begrudgery. Sorry it had to be you lads, and for all I know you could have an invisible disability.

This post is really saying to Irish Rail that those signs are worthless without a campaign encouraging people with disabilities to speak up and ask for the seats and some adverts aimed at able bodied commuters encouraging them to give them up. Give the lamb in the level crossing gates ad a few weeks off and make the journey more comfortable for disabled and older customers.