Free public transport for Gardai and Defence Forces members when they are on and off duty would help to stamp out anti-social behaviour, it has been claimed.
Senator Aidan Davitt, a spokesperson for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is calling for Gardai and Defence Forces members to be given free travel on public transport in a bid to address the “scourge” of anti-social behaviour.
Senator Davitt said the measure would not only inhibit this behaviour but also take thousands of cars out of cities and towns nationwide.
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“Speaking to gardai and defence members they believe this is something that would be a win-win situation for public transport operators be it Dart, train or bus services and for the public using them.
“If gardai and defence force members are using public transport travelling to and from work it will obviously help to inhibit antisocial behaviour if they see a uniformed individual on board.”
Senator Davitt explained that he did not expect off-duty gardai nor defence force members to feel obliged to intervene if anti-social behaviour takes place on public transport while using it.
“That’s a matter for each person. Antisocial behaviour on public transport has long been a scourge. It inhibits getting more people onto public transport. According to one of the transport unions, it is also driving good, hardworking people away from working in public transport,” Senator Davitt noted.
The Senator has written to the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, proposing that all members of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces should be given free travel on all forms of public transport.
“In itself, this will not stamp out antisocial behaviour. However, an increase in the number of members of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces on public transport would inhibit anti-social behaviour.
Senator Davitt highlighted that the move would also take thousands of cars out of our cities where they are parked all day using up valuable space.
“If the political will is there, this would have many benefits and, I hope, increase the use of public transport, which is one of the key objectives of the Government,” he added.
Former Lord Mayor of Dublin and Independent councillor Christy Burke who is chair of the Transport Strategic Transport Policy Committee said he supports Senator Davitt’s proposal. “It would make sense to have security personnel on board to allow drivers and the public to travel in a secure environment."
Their calls come after Dublin Bus suspended services earlier this year after drivers reported 35 incidents of violence, attacks, vandalism, threats with knives and a woman driver “terrorised by a huge mob” in housing estates in west Tallaght.
Trade union, the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and Siptu in a joint letter to Dublin Bus outlined that the unions will not tolerate or be complicit in exposing bus workers to grotesque levels of violence.
Irish Rail received 444 antisocial behaviour complaints last year - a 60% increase of the 277 it received in 2021.
Those relating to the Dublin to Belfast and Dublin to Cork lines were released under the Freedom of Information Act and many incidents were linked to drunk and disorderly behaviour.
Irish Rail said: "Anti-social behaviour is a societal issue to which we are not immune.
“However, Iarnród Éireann has been working extensively with An Garda Síochána, our private security personnel and employees to ensure we both proactively put in place measures to address anti-social behaviour and respond to specific incidents to ensure we have as safe a travelling and working environment as possible”.
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