Angry DART passengers have claimed that a train driver publicly berated a wheelchair user who asked for a ramp at a station.
The train was stopped at Grand Canal Dock Station at 5:50pm on Wednesday evening when the driver made an announcement in what was described as a "scolding, annoyed tone of voice" over the intercom directed at a commuter at the end of the train.
Tara Hanlon who was on the way home from work on the northbound train told Dublin Live: "I had the headphones on and I heard the sound of the intercom come on.
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"So I took off my headphones and I heard the driver saying, 'If you want the ramp you have to phone ahead. This station is unmanned so you’re supposed to phone ahead if you want the ramp'."
Tara turned to the couple beside her to confirm what she'd heard.
She added: "The husband told us the driver said we were held up because a person in a wheelchair needs to use a ramp.
"We all looked at each other and were mortified! I was raging.
"I understand thinking in your head that getting the ramp out is a hassle but to actually on the intercom and announce it to the whole train to hear it? I just thought it was super unprofessional and it was really ableist.
"I don’t care if I’m waiting for 30 seconds longer because someone in a wheelchair is using the same service that they paid for like everyone else."
Another commuter, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "It was explicitly directed at the passenger.
"[He said it] with sort of a scolding annoyed tone in his voice because we were held up. I assume it was because they were having difficulty getting off.
"I think he mentioned something about someone being with the wheelchair user.
"I didn't see anything but a few people got off to see if they needed help but they quickly got back on, I suppose the wheelchair user must have managed to disembark by then."
Tara said she has sent in a formal complaint to Irish Rail over the incident.
The Irish Rail website states that a four-hour advanced notice is required if passengers want to use ramps at the station.
It goes on to say: "[This is] to ensure staff can be redeployed to assist you on or off our services."
Tara slammed the rule asking what people requiring ramps were meant to do if they didn't have the chance to call ahead.
She said: "It really just takes away their autonomy too. What if you miss your DART and then what?
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"I think Irish Rail needs to do something about it. It’s bad enough that it’s happened and the driver had the attitude of ‘oh, you’re the one who’s inconvenienced me’ when the other person was in a wheelchair.
"I just felt like how dare they treat them like that. [The passenger] was just trying to go about their life as if there isn’t enough places they can’t go."
Barry Kenny of Irish Rail said that the DART staff can guarantee assistance with four hours' notice but "will always make every effort to ensure travel where notice is not possible. In many instances, particularly those who travel regularly and require assistance, assistance is provided at minimal notice".
He added: "We have asked for further details so we can investigate the incident described, whether directly from the customer involved, or from the customer who reported this on social media.
"Obviously all customers should be treated with respect at all times, particularly customers who require assistance.
"While the notice recommendation is significantly shorter than EU regulations and than many services in other countries, our goal is to meet the aspirations of mobility-impaired customers to work towards ensuring independent travel.
"Under DART+, our new fleet on order will have a retractable ramp which will facilitate independent access for the vast majority of wheelchair users, and we will also trial platform modifications to further improve access. The first of these carriages will enter service from 2025."
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