Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I echo Senator Feighan's welcome for the gestures and movement, small though they may be, but we must get past gesture politics because we need the Northern Ireland Assembly up and running again. Brexit is coming down the tunnel like an express train. Politicians want to be taken seriously, but politics is about compromise, so we need the assembly to be up and running and people to take their seats in the House of Commons to ensure that there is a good deal for the island of Ireland. Not taking a seat is unacceptable. We are past the day of denying that mandate.

I wish to discuss the issue of a dedicated transport police force and the effects of assaults on public sector workers and public transport. We are past the day of using private security firms, which have no right to detain people at stations or make arrests. Train drivers, DART workers and other public sector workers are being assaulted week in, week out. If we want the general public to feel safe and secure on public transport, there needs to be a dedicated police force on that transport, be it a train going from Cork to Dublin or a DART going from Howth to the city centre. Many other areas have such forces, for example, London. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, to the House to debate this issue at some stage? It would be useful.