Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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11. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide an update on his Department's engagement with the Department of Transport regarding the proposed transport security force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36531/25]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The programme for Government commits to creating a transport security force. While this is a priority, responsibility for its establishment lies with the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority. On 18 June, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, met with the Minister for Transport to discuss the proposed transport security force. The Department of Transport is developing the necessary legislative proposals but the model remains under consideration and the process is at an early stage. New legislation is required, which takes time to develop and implement.

I assure the Deputy that ensuring the safety of public transport passengers and staff remains a key priority while this work is ongoing. Antisocial behaviour affects many areas, including public transport. Responsibility for safety primarily rests with public transport companies, working closely with An Garda Síochána where appropriate. An Garda Síochána has tools to respond to antisocial behaviour on public transport. Garda management works closely with operators such as the NTA, Irish Rail, including DART and InterCity, and Transdev Ireland, which operates the Luas, thereby maintaining a high-visibility and co-ordinated policing presence. An Garda Síochána is actively working to address issues on public transport, including through dedicated operations such as Operation Twin Tracks and Operation Saul. A range of regional and local operations have been put in place by gardaí to prevent and detect criminal activity on public transport.

The aim of Operation Saul, for example, is to provide a safe environment for commuters utilising all public transport services in the Dublin metropolitan region. This operation can reassure citizens, visitors and the business community that Dublin is a safe place in which to visit, socialise and conduct business. In 2024, 683 arrests and 1,339 charges or summonses were effected under this operation.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the recent steps to improve transport security, including the increased budget of over €11 million for a security presence through the Department of Transport, Operation Saul and the new public transport hubs. However, we have to keep moving on the commitment to establish a transport security force. In 2024 alone, over 4,200 complaints were received reporting incidents of drug use, violence and sexual assault. Reports of antisocial behaviour on Dublin Bus have almost doubled since the pandemic and there have been incidents on the Maynooth line where schoolchildren have been targeted.

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has recently engaged with the Department of Transport, which is positive. We need to keep those meetings going until there is clarity on the legislative framework, the powers and remit given to the transport police and the interaction of the transport security force with An Garda Síochána.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is right that this is at the early stages and is in development. It is a priority, as I have outlined. The new transport force will have to interact with An Garda Síochána and that will be an operational issue for both organisations. It is primarily a matter for the parties involved to work out how they will operate the new system once the new transport security force is put in place. The aim of all concerned is to improve the security of the public who are using public transport. I know that An Garda Síochána will continue to play its part in that regard.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I want to raise the issue of Garda numbers in Dublin West. Some 120 new recruits were attested overall in June and 74 were allocated to Dublin. According to local gardaí in my area, only four came to the Garda's K district. Of 150 new recruits in March, 98 were sent to the city centre and four to the K district. The K district consists of Blanchardstown, Cabra and Finglas and is one of the busiest districts in the country. Last year, in one 24-hour period, it had more calls than all of the other Dublin districts combined. Gardaí in the K district have to deal with antisocial behaviour, criminal damage and assaults. I am told it has the highest number of domestic incidents in the country and it has gangland crime, as well as Blanchardstown town centre and Áras an Uachtaráin to manage. There are only four inspectors across three stations for a population of approximately 200,000 people. It is not sustainable. We have brilliant gardaí but we do not have enough of them. What needs to happen for the K district to get the same level of attention and allocation that is currently being given to Dublin city centre?

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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We discussed at length earlier the whole issue of Garda recruitment. As the Deputy knows, it is a significant priority in the programme for Government to increase Garda recruitment by about 5,000 over the lifetime of this Government. We have made a very good and resounding start. Last month, in June, another 170 trainees entered Templemore, following on from 201 in March, the largest intake since 2019. Some 120 new gardaí were attested in June and 74 of those were assigned to the Dublin metropolitan region, which is the vast majority of those who were attested. How the Commissioner allocates gardaí who are exiting Templemore following their attestation is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner and something we do not get involved in. The allocation of recruits from Templemore regularly gets raised with me regarding my own area of Limerick. It is challenging but it is something we are working to increase.