Virtually all users of public transport have witnessed anti-social behaviour, a survey of commuters has found.
Of 1,300 respondents, 93% said they have seen anti-social behaviour on public transport and 90% have witnessed it more than once. Over two-thirds, 70%, said gardai on public transport would make them feel safer.
The survey was carried out by Dublin-based Fianna Fail politicians who are campaigning for a dedicated Public Transport Garda Unit. The respondents said they "very unsafe" on public transport - especially at night.
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Senator Mary Fitzpatrick said at the launch of the survey: "In July we launched a public transport survey. We had a huge response. It confirms people feel unsafe on our public transport.
"There has been more than 1,300 responses to the survey that ran from July to September. 70% of the respondents use public transportation on a frequent basis so these aren't uninformed views.
She added: "These are people who rely on public transport to go to work or school and live their lives in the city, in the capital and the commuter belt. What they tell us is they feel very unsafe. Whiled they feel safe enough in the morning and the day time.
"They feel very unsafe at night time and particularly late at night. 93% of those who replied have witnessed anti-social behaviour. That is a really damning statistic. 90% have witnessed anti-social behaviour more than once. So, it is not an infrequent or isolated event."
The numbers of those reporting anti-social incidents is very low with only 3% of respondents saying they reported what they witnessed. The group, which includes TDs Cormac Devlin, Jim Callaghan, James Lawless and Paul McAuliffe, called on the National Transport Authority to provide a "user-friendly real time mechanism for people to report anti social behaviour".
Deputy James Lawless added that the anti social behaviour ranges from "drug use, blaring of music, being rowdy to passengers in the next compartment right up to assaults". Previously, an Irish Rail employee has spoken of the constant abuse he faces on the job from angry passengers.
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