Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2023
10. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the measures he will take to ensure the security of transport workers following the attacks on public transport in Dublin city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52851/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for the opportunity to discuss this very serious issue.
The events of the 23rd of November had a significant impact on many sectors of society, including the public transport network. A number of staff were targeted during the events, and on the Luas alone, around €1 million worth of damage was caused. This is in addition to extensive damage to six buses in the Dublin Bus fleet.
Our public transport operators are extremely conscious of, and attentive to, anti-social behaviour in society. Public transport is not immune to this, and a number of initiatives are in place to keep our transport workers safe. However, it is important not to conflate the public order incidences of 23 November with general safety and security on public transport.
My Department and the NTA engage regularly with operators on the issue of security, and each of the operators continue to evolve and adapt their security protocols. For example, there has been a 70% increase in spending on rail security, from €3.7m in 2016 to a preliminary spend of €6.3m in 2023, while Transdev spent upwards of €3m on security for Luas in 2023. Elsewhere, Dublin Bus operates a Schools Education Programme which involves educating young people about the importance of the bus in their lives and in their local community.
The NTA reports weekly to my Department on anti-social behaviour across the transport network and I am pleased to say that the overall picture is that it is reducing for operators at this time. This is due in no small part to the ongoing joint operations with An Garda Síochána.
The Deputy can be assured that I am committed to continuing to work with all stakeholders to ensure the safest possible environment for both public transport passengers and staff.
