Victor Boyhan urges transport police and All-Island rail action

Thank you. Firstly, I want to welcome you, Minister, to the House and congratulate you on your appointment as Minister for Transport. For those who are new here who may not be familiar with the private member's business, this is the Fianna Fáil one. I want to congratulate you for putting it forward. None of this is new. I mean, this has been rehearsed two and three times in the Shannon, and I'm going to share some of that with you in a moment. But just to say, let's forget about what all the points, what the set-out agrees to do, and no stats. Let's get to the real detail. The real detail is in 11 key points that you've identified in your asks. So you call on the Minister for a number of issues. There are 11 key asks. I'm only going to talk about three of them. One is the introduction of a police transport policing. Two is the full implementation of the recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review. Very, very important. And three is to reinstate the Western Rail corridor. I start with the police, the policing, because I think that's a really important issue. I will remind members on the opposite side of the House in Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and then in the Greens that there was a motion before you in the names of Senators Victor Boyne, myself, Senator Michael McDool and Sharon Keoghan on the 28th of October 2021. And it simply read that to insert the following paragraph under the calls on the Government to collaborate with NGardish Akawna and the NTA and public transport stakeholders to establish a dedicated training police unit on the public transport network. That was simple. There was a vote, there was a roll call, it was opposed. Times move on, times change. So I want to accept that there's a big change of heart. I welcome that. Minister, it is with some regret that I know you've used your ten minutes, so you won't even have an opportunity, as private members to come back and share some thoughts, but we can communicate outside of here. But you have now spent your time in relation to it, but Senator Lachlan will have an opportunity. You know, the dedicated ten minutes is now being used. So can I just move on? The Minister is entitled to indicate whenever he wants to leave, and oftentimes the Minister has to leave, and I think it is important the Minister to give his contribution. Absolutely, no difficulty with that, and I said that. And Minister, you are one to engage, and I am always very happy to engage with you, and I want to acknowledge your cooperation and engagement. It has always been, you know, never been a problem. So I just want to say that I am deeply concerned that the frontline staff and the passengers, in all our public transport modes, are exposed to the threats of sexual assault and aggressive drunken behaviour on the public transport network. Open drug taking, dealing and fighting should not have to be encountered by anyone. Our public transport should be safe for anybody at any age and at any time to go on it. Reports of toilets being blocked, people shooting up drugs in our trains going west the other day, someone experienced an issue and told me about it. I have spoken to the General Secretary on numerous occasions, Dermot O'Leary from the National Bus and General Rail Workers Union, and again he has said enough is enough for his staff, and he has been a strong advocate for safer travel for his staff and for the public. So we want a zero tolerance in relation to crime and our transport, and I think that is important. I again reiterate, as I did then, a call for a dedicated, fully resourced public transport police. I note, Minister, in your submission today we talk about the NTA, and that will require legislation, but I also note our very able and capable Minister of Justice this week, who talks about a policing service, and he says, and I quote, unless they have the powers to arrest, it is not really a function or effective transport police. Now the NTA, we can change the powers as you have indicated, but I also wanted to share with you, during the general election campaign, Aunty Shop Micheál Martin said, and I quote, Garda management can no longer stand in the way of a dedicated transport police. I would share his concerns, I have spoken to him about it, I believe today that he believes that there should be an extension of Un Garda Shekinah, not an extension of the NTA, not new powers for the NTA, giving full powers of arrest. You go to the UK, just one country, they have a dedicated transport police which is part of the Metropolitan Police Force. I think that's the model we should look at. I don't think we should close any option off. That's what I would say. I'd say please, please keep that open. That's all I ask. It's a matter for government ultimately, but I believe that the issue of unauthorised officers under the NTA, as opposed to a dedicated guard, a transport policing division, there's a big difference. And I would share Minister Callaghan, and he will have another opportunity to outline his view. But I would share his view, I would share the view of the General Secretary of the Transport Workers Union, and I would also share and support the view of the Taoiseach Michal Martin in relation to these matters. So I think that's an important issue to deal with. In relation to the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, that's a very, very important issue. And there are vision, goals and objectives. Clearly we want better transport, as you say. Transport is a game changer. So I think that's important. I would finish by wrapping up. There are clearly, and I've had a look at this today, in terms of the strategy for an All-Island Strategic Review, Transport Review. There are key goals, there are key goals and there are key objectives, Minister, and I would ask that we would prioritise them. And you might come back to the House. Indeed, I might bring a commencement matter for your attention, that we could set out the key goals and key objectives. And let's move on. You talk about an agenda for change for the next five years. Let's start that agenda for change this year, in the first 12 months. Thank you.