Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We do not differ on that. I am not talking about an alternative to An Garda Síochána. I am talking about a division of An Garda Síochána, which would act as a public transport policing service. If that were in place, not only would it be in place on the transport systems as they move, but it would also be at the pinch points, which are often at the stops, junctions, as the Minister said, at the train stations, tram stops and bus stops and the various areas where people often congregate and trouble brews. If we had public transport police in place last week, there is a fair chance that information that people were on the move and intent on causing trouble would have come sooner and we may not have been in the deplorable situation we found ourselves in. Those officers would be there to safeguard the public and would be available when trouble of this nature erupts. As we want more people - we are at one on this and we are probably at one with almost everyone in the House - to use public transport and want it to be the future, we must make sure it is safe and secure. If that is going to happen, we will have to invest in it and have a division of An Garda Síochána which can deliver that.

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