[article] Parents ‘gobsmacked’ after autistic son pricked by syringe on train

[Mark Gleeson]

http://www.thejournal.ie/dart-syringe-1226513-Dec2013/THE PARENTS OF a seven-year-old autistic boy were left “gobsmacked” last weekend when a used syringe, lodged down the side of the seat on a DART, became stuck in his finger.

A shocking new low on public transport. Irish Rail's quoted responses not really providing any reassurance.

A nasty civil case is most likely and quite rightly, you have a reasonable expectation to a safe journey.

[Jamie2k9]

It's is shocking what happened but what can Irish Rail do, nothing significant worth talking about.

[Mark Gleeson]

They could

1. Have proper security to remove/refuse travel to those they well know will cause trouble
2. Clean the trains better

Court will decide most likely as the parents are already taking legal advice.

[Jamie2k9]

If security touch them in anyway they are in trouble, when they have no power they are as good as me. Guards can't be there every second for many reasons, how many of these people have being awarded thousands because security interfered.

As we don't know when t was placed harder to judge that side as it could of being cleaned the night before and placed there earlier before the family got on.

Good to see legal action being taking but any outcome will have little benefit as the book stops with transport department and justice department to ensure safety of people as IE can't. I can't see anything changing unless changes are made from the top down as that's the only way it can work.

[Mark Gleeson]

There are no excuses, Irish Rail is fully entitled to refuse travel its in the bye laws, numbers 17/18/19.

Going by the routine failure to clean toilets properly I very much doubt any train receives a full clean on a daily basis. If lucky its a quick wipe down and vac. Given I frequently have come across yesterdays Metro herald it only reinforces the point.

[Jamie2k9]

Of course they can refuse travel but you well know not everybody goes without a fight and especially the type of people we are talking about here, The bylaws don't state that irish rail or security can physically remove the passenger if they refuse to go. So what use are the bylaws, you will be waiting 30-40 minutes for guards to come and remove passengers.

There should be no excuses but when the company has no powers to actually do anything, there is and until they is a proper means set up for removing passengers who refuse to listen the bylaws are useless.