In the Dublin area there is certainly justification for a transport police.
Far too often the garda response time to incidents has been excessive, the Ashtown incident with the fare evader with a history of violence is a case in point no garda was available to attend and the train had to be taken out of service causing great disruption and diverted to docklands where the gardai showed up.
As Irish Rail security is subcontracted they have none of the powers (and protections) an Irish Rail employee has under the bye laws, transport acts and rail safety act.
Punishment is fairly easy, fine per bye law, court order to ban off all trains for 5 years and file a civil claim for cost of disruption/damage
That said it would be much simpler if staff at Bray, Connolly and elsewhere enforced some order and turned people away carrying alcohol or who have forgotten their clothes
|