Irish Rail has announced plans to expand onboard security patrols following a surge in reports of antisocial and dangerous behaviour across its network in 2025.
More than 1,150 alerts were submitted last year through the company’s text reporting system, detailing incidents ranging from drug use and public intoxication to violence, indecent exposure, and racial abuse. However, records released under freedom of information laws reveal that a notable portion of these reports went unanswered at the time, as security personnel were either unavailable or on breaks.
Passengers reported numerous cases of open drug use on trains nationwide. Incidents included individuals smoking crack, snorting substances in shared carriages, and injecting heroin during journeys. Others were seen using devices such as bongs, while groups of young people were repeatedly observed inhaling nitrous oxide. In one case, passengers described a group smoking cannabis while allowing a dog to urinate inside a carriage.
Alcohol-related disturbances were also widespread, with over 100 alerts explicitly mentioning intoxicated passengers. Reports included individuals shouting, making threats, behaving erratically, or engaging in aggressive confrontations. In several cases, passengers feared for their safety, including one incident where two men allegedly threatened to kill each other during a journey.
There were also multiple reports of inappropriate and disturbing behaviour. These ranged from public indecency and harassment to passengers playing explicit content in shared spaces. In one particularly alarming incident, a passenger described a man exposing himself onboard as “very scary.”
Violence and threats involving weapons were also recorded. A passenger was reportedly assaulted and suffered a broken nose during an altercation, while another incident involved a man walking through carriages displaying a knife. Elsewhere, threats of serious harm were reported, including a woman allegedly making hostile remarks toward “non-nationals” and threatening violence.
Additional unusual incidents included a man urinating between train carriages, another appearing in a hospital gown and behaving erratically, and individuals engaging in vandalism onboard.
Despite these reports, Irish Rail stated it was able to respond in most cases using onboard staff, station personnel, or security teams. The company emphasized that the text alert system provides passengers with a discreet way to report issues as they occur.
A spokesperson said the operator is working with the National Transport Authority to strengthen its security presence in 2026. Measures include increased patrols, joint operations with gardaí, and the expansion of rapid-response hubs across the rail network.
“We are in a position to respond in the vast majority of cases, whether through our own teams or in coordination with onboard and station staff,” the spokesperson said.
They added that broader collaboration with law enforcement remains a key part of the strategy: “We have ongoing joint patrols with gardaí, dedicated response hubs, and tailored plans for major events to ensure a visible and effective security presence.”
While acknowledging the seriousness of the incidents, the company stressed that they represent a small fraction of overall journeys.
“The vast majority of the more than 55 million journeys made each year on our services take place without issue,” the spokesperson said. “Nonetheless, we are committed to addressing antisocial behaviour as part of a wider societal challenge.”
