Irish Rail experienced a sharp increase in crime and anti-social behaviour incidents during the first half of 2025, with 771 reportable cases logged between January and June – up nearly 20% from 645 incidents in the same period last year.
The rise occurred alongside growing passenger numbers, with 23.7 million journeys recorded compared to 22.24 million in the first half of 2024. The second quarter alone saw 401 reportable incidents, including serious offences such as 38 assaults, 11 cases of lewd behaviour, and 27 instances of fighting.
Aggressive behaviour dominated the statistics with 262 recorded cases, while theft accounted for 28 incidents. Seven of the 38 assaults were directed at Irish Rail staff members, highlighting the challenges facing transport workers.
An additional 412 non-reportable incidents were logged between April and June, including 97 cases of boisterous behaviour, 40 instances of interference with passenger emergency systems, and 161 cases of general anti-social behaviour. Criminal damage and vandalism accounted for 19 cases, while loitering was recorded 35 times.
Drug, alcohol, and smoking-related incidents totalled 364, though this represented a decrease from the previous year. Within this category, there were 25 cases of illegal drug possession and 148 reports of individuals clearly under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
Trespass incidents numbered 174, involving people crossing tracks or attempting to vandalize railway property, posing significant safety risks to both trespassers and train operations.
Irish Rail attributed the increase partly to enhanced security measures and detection capabilities. A safety report noted that “additional resources, seeing interventions at major terminus stations, have contributed to the increase in incidents recorded.”
The rail operator has established a new monitoring group working with twenty rapid Garda response hubs for the intercity network to address security concerns. Despite the rise in anti-social behaviour, Irish Rail reported a decline in self-harm incidents through focused monitoring of hotspots and quick intervention strategies.
Passenger growth continues to accelerate, with journeys increasing 9.7% year-on-year in the second quarter. Intercity services have seen particularly strong growth, exceeding pre-COVID records, while DART and commuter services are approaching their previous peak levels.
The statistics raise questions about balancing increased passenger volumes with maintaining safe, comfortable travel environments as public transport usage returns to and exceeds pre-pandemic levels.