#OperationSaul – maintaining a safe environment on public transport for Dubliners

Throughout the last number of months, I have used my membership of the City’s Policing Committee to raise my concerns with the Assistant Garda Commissioner for Dublin about public safety on transport services like the Luas, Dublin Bus, etc.

I have repeatedly been contacted by those who have felt threatened, unsafe or fearful at one stage or other when using public transport. Separately, we have seen reports of anti-social and criminal behaviour on Luas services and at particular Luas stops. On foot of these cases being raised with me, I urged the Assistant Commissioner to put in place measures and steps to better protect users of public transport and to provide reassurance to Dubliners waiting for services at bus-stops or Luas stations that these are safe environments. The Assistant Commissioner has worked, in response to these requests, with organisations like the National Transport Authority and public service providers to put in place Operation Saul.  The purpose of this initiative is to provide a safe environment for commuters utilising all public transport services within the Dublin area.

Operation Saul involves the effective management and planned delivery of all working resources in the Dublin region to ensure the delivery both an overt and covert policing response on board Bus, Luas, Dart and Train services to effectively tackle anti-social behaviour, public order and criminal activity, on a daily basis.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Dublin Policing Committee, the Assistant Commissioner confirmed that between January 31^st and May 3^rd, 2022, a total of 2,027 incidents were recorded 1,962 non-crime and 65 crime which are either under active investigation or currently before the Courts, under Operation Saul. Further details of the results of Garda activity as part of Operation Saul can be found below:

I obviously welcome this initiative by An Garda Siochana, the work that is being done in partnership with service providers and the National Transport Authority to ensure that Dubliners who use public transport can do so in a safe and secure environment. I will continue to provide further updates on the implementation of Operation Saul across the coming weeks.