Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to establish a dedicated public transport section of An Garda Síochána; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25299/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The safety and security of both public transport passengers and staff, including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour, are important matters that must be managed by every public transport company, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána where appropriate.

We can all agree that any acts of violence and anti-social behaviour are completely unacceptable. I want to make it very clear that criminality on public transport will not be tolerated.

I was pleased to open the new Garda Síochána DMR Control Centre based at the National Train Control Centre (NTCC) at Heuston Station in Dublin with the Garda Commissioner recently.

This state-of-the art new premises, which will house the operations of call takers and dispatchers, is another step forward in modernising An Garda Síochána and strengthening links with public transport operators.

This call and dispatch centre, located on a floor in the NTCC , is the nerve centre to Garda operations in the Dublin Metropolitan region and the personnel working there are the people at the frontline taking sometimes the most challenging and time-sensitive calls.

Iarnród Éireann and Dublin City Council are also expected to locate their control rooms there in the near future.

The location of An Garda Síochána, Iarnród Éireann and Dublin City Council control centres in the same building will help Gardaí to build upon the already excellent relationships they have with public transport providers, particularly in the event of serious emergencies requiring coordinated responses.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all operational policing decisions. As Minister, I have no role in these independent functions.

I am advised that a range of regional and local operations have been put in place by Gardaí to prevent and detect criminal activity on public transport. For example, Operation Saul is implemented across the Dublin Region with the aim of keeping people safe on public transport services. The operation is undertaken as a proactive response and is informed by analysis of crime and anti-social behaviour trends, supported by Garda analysts.

I am informed that there is ongoing communication between An Garda Síochána and the respective control centres, and access to good quality CCTV can provide assistance to Gardaí when investigating serious incidents.

The Commissioner has indicated that he does not propose to establish a dedicated transport policing unit, as he is of the view that the policing needs of public transport can be met through community policing. The Commissioner is best placed to determine the most appropriate response to concerns in relation to personal safety on public transport and to decide how to allocate the resources at his disposal to best effect.