Issuing tickets with reservations by default would require people to pick a return train for their journey. For most people the current flexibility to hop on an earlier train is more valuable than a booked seat.
It would also make things very difficult for commuters. Even if it were free, I could never book an evening train as the time I get out is dependent on how work went. So if the bulk of the train was on assigned seating, regular commuters would rarely get a seat. This isn't a big deal for a Maynooth or a Balbriggan commuter but it is a problem for people like me who spend 3 hours a day on the train.
Personally, I prefer the existing situation where if I want to be sure of a seat on a particular train, I show up 15 minutes early and I suspect the majority of the population would agree. I would suggest that the Irish really aren't the most regimented or organised race on the planet and it suits our nature better to just turn up when we feel like it.
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