I am informed by the Garda authorities that the problem of assaults on bus drivers is continuing to receive special attention. In this respect I would refer the Deputy to my response to a parliamentary question on 17 June, 1993 (Dáil Debates, Volume 432 No. 5, columns 1295-1297) in which I outlined the various measures that had been taken to deal with the situation. These, which I consider worth mentioning briefly again, include:—
— a number of meetings were held between the Garda and management and unions of Dublin Bus to discuss the problems involved;
— the involvement of an inspector in each district to deal with incidents of a serious and/or continuous nature;
— the intensive patrolling of known trouble spots with particular attention being paid to late night services (including gardaí being available to travel on buses as appropriate).