OPINION: You are wrong Leo... It is the Government’s job to ensure people are safe on public transport

A recent poll by thejournal.ie asking readers 'Should Ireland have a dedicated transport police?' received an overwhelming 86.4% in favour.

The vote came in the wake of a homophobic attack on a passenger on Dublin bus who was headbutted while he was on his way home. The attack left him with severe facial injuries. This is absolutely horrendous and shouldn't be tolerated.

Remarkably Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said the issue of transport police is not one for the government and passed it onto the Garda Commissioner. What an extraordinary thing to say. Of course it's up to the government to ensure its citizens are safe in the country in which it governs. If it's not up to the government then who?

The government is the one that is encouraging people to leave their cars at home and use public transport. Why would anyone get out of their car and onto a bus or train if they think they might end up being assaulted?

I suspect Leo Varadkar doesn't use public transport regularly or he would never have said that. Meanwhile Commissioner Drew Harris has also ruled it out.

So neither the Government or Gardai are going to look after us on trains and buses. We are on our own!

I reckon most of the people who voted in favour of having police on buses and trains are those who actually use public transport on a regular basis.

I take the train a lot and there is always a certain low grade anxiety about using this form of transport these days. The amount of what might be termed 'mild' anti-social behaviour that continues unabated is dreadful.

There is almost an acceptance that people can now board the train and into a carriage and play loud music and video games. Talk at the top of their voices using plenty of expletives for good measure and engage in general horse-play. These people obviously don't care about anyone else and have a sense of entitlement. I have yet to see anything being said to them by a conductor.

People should be told to wear earphones if they want to listen to music or watch videos and that goes for children too. In fact it should be mandatory.

There just has to be a clampdown on this form of behaviour, which leaves other passengers feeling uncomfortable and with a bad taste in their mouths.

People who travel on the train to Dublin from Tullamore and other parts of the country often use it to attend hospital appointments, some may be going for chemotherapy or coming back from hospitals feeling unwell. Others may be on their way to funerals of loved ones. Some people just want to sit quietly and read and they should be able to do so without others basically taking over the carriages.

If the government and the Green party especially are serious about getting people out of their cars and onto public transport, this is an issue that will have to be dealt with. If people are sharing a public space with others, then they need to know how to behave and unfortunately some don't.

I have seen Minister Eamon Ryan on the train which I am sure he uses regularly, he has to be aware of this issue.

One thing I find astonishing is that often when passengers disembark at Tullamore station there is a security guy standing on the platform who looks quite intimidating watching people as they get off. But what good is that if all the mayhem is on the train?

There has to be zero tolerance for any type of anti-social behaviour, when using public transport. It's a sad day when trains and buses need security but that's the type of society we are living in at present. Why should people feel uneasy about sitting on a train or a bus just because someone else doesn't know how to behave themselves or has no respect for others.

At a meeting of Tullamore Municipal District earlier this year, representatives of Irish Rail were in attendance, Councillor Declan Harvey asked about anti-social behaviour on trains and the reply was that it was a societal issue, and of course this is correct. But Irish Rail still has a responsibility to take care of its passengers who are paying for their tickets.

Last year I got onto the Luas at Connolly Station to go to Heuston Station, a group of kids probably no more than 13 or 14 also got on and proceeded to F... and blind to their heart's content. They also had their feet up on the seats preventing others from sitting down. One woman got on and glared at them and they proceeded to be abusive towards her asking what the F... was her problem. The rest of us remained silent, and why wouldn't we? Why would anyone take on these kids? Everyone on that Luas knew they would come off the worst. When the same kids saw what looked like security at one of the stops they got off and could be heard saying they weren't going to get caught because they hadn't paid. Everyone visibly relaxed when they left.

Ireland's public transport system needs to hold itself to a much higher standard. We should aim to be the best in Europe. This form of transport must be pristine in every way.

Needless to say there is still no catering service on trains. You can't even get a cup of coffee or tea if going on a long journey. Compared to other European countries where travellers can order an entire lunch, we are falling badly behind and need to get our act together.

Another feature of some European trains are quiet carriages and family carriages. They could easily be introduced in Ireland.

But at least sort out the anti-social behaviour so that people are not dreading getting on to the train or bus.

It's not good enough for the Tainaiste to wash his hands of the matter. What happened to that unfortunate man on the bus last week could happen to anybody. Can you imagine if it was a tourist to this country? Think of the damage that could do to our reputation abroad as a friendly country.

Anti-social behaviour needs to be severely dealt with at judicial level and this idiotic and ridiculous age of entitlement has to end.