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MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Jim O’Callaghan has said that a proposed public transport police force must have the powers of arrest in order to be a “functioning and effective force”.
The new minister, who has been a strong voice for the proposal of a dedicated public transport police, stressed that legislation will be required to ensure it has the necessary powers of arrest, which may delay the introduction of the new force for some time.
The push for a dedicated transport security force stems from growing concerns about safety on public transport, especially during late-night travel.
O’Callaghan pointed to reports of passengers feeling unsafe as a key factor behind the move.
“The reason why we want to bring it forward is that there was experience, 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.
While O’Callaghan did not provide a specific timeline, he emphasised that this initiative is a government priority.
“It will need legislation, so the Department of Justice and the Department of Transport are going to have to work on that together.”
Election pledges from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael suggest that the new transport police force will be employed by the National Transport Authority and will likely be comprised of “authorised officers” rather than Gardaí.
These officers would have limited powers, similar to those of Airport Police or Customs officers, including the ability to search and seize property, but not the same powers of arrest as Gardaí.
Both Airport Police and Customs Officers are granted certain limited powers to obtain someone’s name and address, as well as powers of search and seizure. In the case of the Airport Police, they act also within bye-laws – but only within the precincts of an Airport.
The scope of the powers granted to the new transport police officers will be a key point of focus as legislation is developed by the Department of Justice.
“Unless they have the powers to arrest, it’s not really a functioning or effective Transport Police,” O’Callaghan said.
Any new power of arrest granted to an agency like the National Transport Authority will require legislation, which will have to pass through the Oireachtas.
In practice, that means it could be several years before the force is operational.
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How is this even a headline or point of discussion? It’s the equivalent of “umbrellas must be made from waterproof material”! If they don’t have the power to arrest, what good are they, other than posing as glorified security personnel!
@Si Con: suits the government now to state this as it takes any requirement to develop this transport police off the table for the moment. Job done.
@Si Con: if they haven’t got powers of arrest, it will be like red target on everyone of their backs by the nasty scrotes, and reprobates that cause all the problems
Knowing that the transport police had no power beyond being toothless paper Gardaí, it would be open season and cause more use of violence on the public transport.
@Luke Littler: i think a taser would be sufficient, a good portion of an gardai siochana are on a power trip at work and should not have any firearms!!
@John Darker: what? You really are illiterate.
@Philip Kennedy: what do you mean by that? I was agreeing with who I was replying to
@John Darker: grammar, punctuation and spelling. People like you are allowed to give opinions. Wow.
@Philip Kennedy: lol, I’ve seen it all on this site now .
A pedantic troll
@Luke Littler: Agree, and given clear powers to use them. Garda structures and training should be revamped in line with forces like that it Germany. People feel safe travelling on the U Bahn / underground or on public transport there, and you simply do not mess with their police. Their top commanders are trained to a Masters degree in policing and have the power to issue warrants. In contrast – shocking to see Gardai punched and spat on here
@Luke Littler: Amadán. Get out of your basement more, you might see how ludicrous that statement is
@Jonny Hellzapoppin: He’s absolutely right and the only idiot around here is you. Every other European and North American country has armed police which offer protection to civilians in airports and on public transport. There’s no reason why we can’t easily do the same.
@Philip Kennedy: Why, everything he said was true, Unlike your posts.
@Philip Kennedy: stfu
@Doberman: oh aye ,sure it’s right safe in Germany.
@William Jennings: we have armed units ,we don’t need to arm all our police, pepper spray and a taser is more than enough
@Si Con: Arrests would make little difference to the s c u m in our society. But having security on the train is always better than nothing.
@Luke Littler: Littler in the way of common sense. Guns are bad mkay, at least certain drugs being legal would be positivity for the law and in healthcare. Free the herb
So get your finger out and draft the legislation. You are now the MofJustice so go and do your job.
Has Dublin got that dangerous that police are needed on public transport ?
@Sea Spirit: some bus routes have been experiencing it for decades its nothing new, its just more heard of now because of social media
@Sea Spirit: yes
@Sea Spirit: yes
I’m guessing it’s already a waste of taxpayers’ money & of energy on the part of the transport police. Let me introduce a certain “judge” whose expensive, pointless ramblings make any outcome in favour of the victims totally unproductive. The sooner he goes the way of that other waste of time in Limk the better.
Two headlines mention “Justice Minister” but not his name. When the last Justice Minister was in charge, her name adorned every headline relating to the post.
Subtle, but notable how TheJournal.ie promotes certain politicians but not others.
@Lone Hurler: the very first sentence says Justice Minister O’Callaghan….
Then again about a paragraph down…
Specsavers are open until 9 , you might make it if you hurry
@John Darker: and he’s also name checked in the last paragraph
@John Darker: Headlines John, Headlines. I never mentioned within the text of the article. Now go back out and read the list of today’s *headlines*. McEntee is name checked in the headline relating to an education article. There are three headlines relating to justice – but the ministers name is not mentioned in any of those three.
Why? It seems to be a deliberate policy to name-check some ministers in headlines and not others. Why?
@Lone Hurler: bother of Miriam (,rte presenter)
They also must have power to use a baton on all the scrotes
@Lei tatt: the bus drivers should be allowed do that.
@Matt D: it’s not in any bus driver’s job description to put themselves at risk or get involved in fights with passengers.
Drivers don’t get paid to sort out anti social behaviour on buses, and even if they did get out of the bus cab to throw someone off the bus, there would be people complaining about it.
@Steve Saunders: I hear you, I was being sarcastic. Nothing but respect for the drivers & the job they do.
@Steve Saunders: the drivers don’t need this or want this hassle. Plus when the TDI let half the passengers ok for free. It doesn’t help. Social welfare free travel. Stop this and you get half the wasters off the busses . Noone travels for free. right now if a driver says no to a passenger they get abuse. Help the drivers in this situation.
@Oweke 68: are you including the pensioners and those with disabilities a free bus pass to go shopping, doctors and hospital appointments?
A better idea would be to limit the hours when a bus pass to say 9pm,
As very few pensioners/ people with disabilities wouldn’t be out and about after that hour.
@John Darker: I’ll continue. There was a big ho ha when there was a minimum payment put in for a prescription. A minimum payment would work far better. Of course you have special cases. I.e Retired and disabled. They travel for free as it is. You have certain element that are on some form of welfare that gets on for free and some of these cause the trouble . If they have to pay and don’t. It gives the driver a chance to refuse some . You are on a social welfare card you pay say 1 euro to travel . If they can afford 20 cigarettes or more a day, a euro for a bus fare is a must.
@Steve Saunders: Yes, but they should be able to defend themselves, using as much force as it takes!
@Oweke 68:
So it’s me that’s causing all the trouble on the busses with my OAP bus pass. I wondered why I was always getting thrown off the bus, thanks for putting me wide.
@Matt D: are you mad
@Oweke 68: people on the dole don’t get a travel pass , pensioners only I think
@Oweke 68: hello people on social welfare don’t get free travel
@Oweke 68 please outline what types of welfare other than disabled and pensioners that are on free travel.
@sean weir: oh yes they do by going to a doctor who certifies them unfit to work longterm
@K O:
Hopefully you’ll be feeling better soon and can get back to work and spend less time talking nonsense.
Also Pepper Spray and Tasers
@James Harrington: should be armed police, with a “shoot to kill” policy. This would free up the courts and the prisons!
Simple!!
@den: Yeah, good one. We don’t live in a Brice Willis movie you complete amadán
@den: I suppose they just need to do it once. After which no one will ever misbehave on public transport again
@den: Or start issuing concealed carry licenses to people which would allow them to carry handguns in public. This would easily deter dirtbags on buses and the LUAS from causing trouble. In the US, states that issued concealed carry licenses on a “shall-issue” basis, murder rates dropped by 10%, sexual assault rates dropped by 8.5% and aggravated assault rates (muggings/beatdowns) dropped by 7.5% in all localities. Criminals fear armed citizens, it’s just common sense. Their primary aim is to target unarmed victims, meaning that widespread gun ownership forces them to reconsider their actions. Defensive gun use in the US happens about 2.2 million times every year, helping to stop millions of criminals from committing crimes. It’s time that the same thing happened here in Ireland.
@William Jennings: A few years ago I would have totally disagreed with the points made. But seeing how Ireland’s justice system operates, I totally agree with you.
The Irish justice system is designed for vested interests to extract as much taxpayers money as possible. Victims of crime are treated appallingly and the Gardaí don’t bother with tough crime because it only ever ends up that the perps get a slap on the wrist. Banana republic.
@den: RUC man over here
@William Jennings: you are talking out of your hole
@sean weir: Good to know that you favour the rights of criminals over their victims, you absolute dope. The statistics clearly show that more guns makes us safer. It’s time we had some proper guns rights in Ireland and allowed people to apply for concealed carry licenses to protect themselves when they are in public against dirtbags who want to mug, stab and beat up innocent individuals because they feel like it. In any case, you haven’t provided any coherent rebuttal to the points I made. Is that because you know I’m right?
A few Transport Police is not going to fix the problem! to restore public trust in our broken Justice System, Policing, Crime and Rehabilitation
This is honestly just a waste of time and money. What’s the point of hiring more Gardaí and drafting them into a Transport Police if you’re going to tie their hands behind their backs with weak sentencing, lenient bail laws and a justice system that prioritises criminals over victims? They want to throw money at the problem instead of fixing it. Creating a Transport Police means nothing if the courts keep releasing offenders onto the streets with a slap on the wrist. It’s just political theatre, trying to look tough while refusing to do what’s necessary to restore law and order. Real deterrence doesn’t come from uniforms being present on buses and the LUAS, it comes from consequences. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are too busy pandering to activists and excusing criminals to understand that.
@William Jennings: they’re not Gardai though. Will be police similar to airport and hopefully with the V power to arrest or at the very least detain until Sardis arrive on the scene
@Vincent B: sorry some typos there.
We don’t need a private police force. Just hire more Gardai
I wouldn’t be getting out my booth if 15 them got on my bus.
I would like you see the army have more arrest power.
Already been on two buses and one train that came under attack from serious anti social behaviour and in the case of the train, a boy stabbed who was in a gang of mainly African descent, some time ago. At no point on the train during a delay of over an hour did the driver reassure passengers or inform about the situation.
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