Siptu welcomes Dublin Bus support for transport police after knife threat to driver

The Government has said it would press ahead with creating a transport police. File picture

Trade union Siptu has welcomed the backing of Dublin Bus for a dedicated transport police in Ireland, a week after a bus driver in the city was threatened by a man holding what appeared to be a handgun.

The union had instructed its members to withdraw services in the Mountjoy Square area from 7pm in the wake of the incident last Friday, and said that it hoped that such a shocking incident would mark a “turning point” in the debate around a transport police.

“It must no longer be about whether we should have a transport policing service but rather how it will be established and operated,” sector organiser John Murphy said.

“In relation to Mountjoy Square, the suspension of bus services in that area after 7pm will continue until all the necessary measures are in place to improve security for our members.” 

It comes after Dublin Bus CEO Billy Hann was quoted in the Irish Times as saying his organised backed a transport police and had lobbied for its creation.

Although the Garda commissioner and ministers had long ruled it out, including then-transport minister Eamon Ryan as recently as last October, the Government has said it would press ahead with creating a transport police.

In February, justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said the proposed transport police was a priority and emphasised that it must have powers of arrest.

“The reason why we want to bring it forward is that there were experiences, not just in Dublin but throughout the country, of people finding themselves on public transport and not feeling safe, particularly late in the evening,” he said.

However, no timeline was set for its introduction.

Siptu’s Dublin Bus representative and national executive council member Stephen Millan said the union had put forward comprehensive proposals around a transport police service which were then adopted by political parties and included in the Programme for Government.

“It is most welcome that Dublin Bus management announced publicly yesterday that it also supports the establishment of a dedicated transport policing service,” he said.

“The need for a transport policing service based on international best practice is a very real one. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to make it a reality in as short a timeframe as possible.” 

Mr Murphy added that the volume of incidents reported to Dublin Bus has doubled since the pandemic.

“Our own research in the Respect Transport Workers campaign surveys confirms this increased threat to our members working on buses, trains and other forms of public transport,” he said.