Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Some 80% of more than 600 transport workers recently polled said that abuse and antisocial behaviour is an issue for them at work. A majority in receipt of this abuse expressed the opinion that the situation has worsened in the past year.

Some of the workers have experienced physical assault, some of which has been of a particularly vicious character. Three quarters of those from ethnic minority backgrounds have experienced racist abuse or harassment. The National Bus and Rail Union has campaigned for a dedicated transport police force and has been joined in that call more recently by colleagues in SIPTU. However, I am asking the Taoiseach about a far simpler matter today. Will he support the call from transport workers for anti-assault screens to be fitted to all public transport buses to protect drivers? What is his opinion on the timeframe for putting such a measure in place bearing in mind the urgency of the situation?

See this speech in context