EASA IR (restricted)
Glad to see you are all finding this as difficult as I am to sort out! For the record, my current IR is MP, although my original test some years ago was SP. I have held a rating continiously since the original test. (This used to be relevant as it meant I could just do an SEP IR without assessment or course).
Level , I appreciate your point that it's a different skill, that's why my current SEP flying really only requires an IMC rating. If I was planning on taking an SEP into controlled airspace etc I would plan some refresher flying followed by a proper SEP SP IR. I feel content that my existing skills will cope with the privileges granted by an IMC rating.
If I am going to have to take a test to validate my IR(r) then I may as well do the full IR.
One option I had considered was paying the extra to renew my UK ATPL as well as this should give me IMC privileges until 2015 and will will work out cheaper than an IR(r) test.
I was rather hoping though, that someone had already persuaded the CAA to issue an ATPL with a non expiring IR(r).