Senator fined for not having train ticket

A senator was given a €100 fixed penalty fine for not having a train ticket, it emerged last night.

Fine Gael’s Fidelma Healy Eames made the admission after the incident became a talking point on social media sites.

The highly embarrassing fine was imposed after she had boarded a Dublin-bound train at Athenry, Co Galway, during the week.

Ms Healy Eames showed a Revenue protection officer her official Seanad pass when asked for ID.

Ms Healy Eames said she will appeal the fine as she claims she believed she could buy a ticket on board, and had done so previously.

The senator was not returning calls regarding the matter, but Fine Gael issued a statement on her behalf.

“Senator Healy Eames boarded the 6.50am train to Dublin in a rush, at Athenry station Thursday morning,” the statement reads.

“She did so on the understanding that she would be able to purchase a ticket on board, as she had previously done on recent occasions.

“She was approached by an officer from the Revenue protection unit on board who asked her for ID. She produced her Seanad ID card.

“She offered to buy a ticket as normal. He told her she could not buy a ticket from him and fined her €100.

“Senator Healy Eames was shocked to learn this as she had purchased two tickets on board just weeks earlier, in June.

“She showed the RPU officer the counterfoils which proved that they were both purchased on the train. Senator Healy Eames has appealed the fine,” the Fine Gael statement said.