Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, for coming to the Chamber to discuss this important issue of safety on our trains and in our train stations. I live in north County Dublin. We have six train stations at Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk, Donabate, Malahide and Portmarnock.

I raise this issue because there was a report on RTÉ radio at the weekend. It outlined that there has been a 43% increase since 2016 in anti-social behaviour, assaults, intimidation, theft and aggressive behaviour on our trains and in our train stations. This has a devastating effect not only on the commuters using the trains daily but on the staff operating the trains and the train stations.

Representatives from the National Bus and Rail Union, NBRU, claim this 43% increase is just the tip of the iceberg and that incidents of assault, intimidation and anti-social behaviour are so frequent that people do not even report them. They only report very serious incidents. It is very worrying when the union representing the workers is saying that. Many workers have reported being kicked, punched, spat upon, having things thrown at them and being subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation. It is not on for workers to be subjected to that kind of treatment when they are trying to work and provide a public service.

That report I heard at the weekend reflects what I hear on the ground in my constituency. People regularly contact me about issues in train stations. Many of these issues relate to unmanned train stations or those only manned part time. It was interesting to hear on the radio report that there is no particular time of day when assaults and intimidation take place. It happens from early morning until late at night. It is not acceptable, therefore, to have part-time or unmanned stations. This report and recent incidents in Clongriffin and Malahide highlight the shocking state of affairs on our trains.We need to discuss the unmanned stations but we should also start a conversation and give serious consideration to a dedicated transport police service like they have in the UK. It is the point we are at. We have many people using our trains on a daily basis, including thousands from my constituency and right across Dublin and the country. These people depend on such services and they should be provided with a safe mode of transport. The workers need protection in the workplace. Dedicated transport police should have the same powers of arrest and detention as gardaí, and that would protect staff who must intervene to stop anti-social behaviour and violence. Currently, such personnel do not have powers to arrest or move people on as does the Garda. This would help and I want to hear the Minister's views in that respect.

I know a security firm has been hired by Irish Rail but it does not seem to act as a deterrent as we have seen such a large spike in this violent and anti-social behaviour. This just adds an extra cost to Irish Rail, which is not having the required effect. I would appreciate the Minister's views on that.