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File photo of a Dart train. Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Dart passengers now able to report anti-social behaviour via text message

People can text the word TRAIN followed by their location and details of the incident in question to 51444.

DART PASSENGERS ARE now able to report anti-social or suspicious behaviour via text message.

The new service, flagged back in June, has now been launched.

Members of the public can text the word TRAIN followed by their location, carriage number if possible, and details of the incident in question to 51444. Texts will be charged at standard network rates.

The message will alert the Dart security centre, which will then make contact with security teams, Iarnród Éireann staff, and/or gardaí as needed.

Customers will receive an automated response to confirm that their message has been received. The text alert system is due to be extended to Dublin commuter routes in the coming weeks.

Irish Rail is also increasing security patrols, installing new CCTV, increasing cooperation with gardaí and recruiting a senior security specialist in a bid to crack down on anti-social behaviour. 

Just over 800 incidents of such behaviour, including 14 assaults on staff members, were reported to Irish Rail last year – up from 705 in 2017. 

There have been 635 incidents, including six assaults on employees, to date in 2019. The reported incidents include vandalism, intimidation and theft.

“While the overwhelming majority of journeys occur without incident, we have been experiencing an increase in anti-social behaviour incidents, so are determined to take the necessary measures to reverse this trend,” spokesperson Barry Kenny previously said of the service. 

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    Mute John Colfer
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    May 4th 2012, 6:33 PM

    excellent idea, but unfortunately it won’t work until the tendering process changes. I think its nigh on impossible to tender for such projects unless you’ve done similar work before or know somebody, who knows somebody….

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    Mute Nucky Thompson
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    May 4th 2012, 7:10 PM

    You are wrong.

    The EU procurement public sector directives are based on the pillars of non discrimination, equal treatment, and proportionality.

    The Dept of Finance have made it very clear that SME’s should not be disadvantaged in any way as part of any procurement process. They have in fact issued a Circular (10/10) which has changed public procurement procedures to open up the market to smaller companies.

    This article contains a lot of ‘statements’ with zero proof or evidence of truth to back them up.

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    Mute censored
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    May 4th 2012, 10:39 PM

    He is right. Give examples of successful applicants please.

    Most Irish companies focus on international markets immediately, and for good reason: it’s easier and the potential rewards are greater.

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    Mute Paul Lanigan
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    May 5th 2012, 11:56 AM

    John is correct. The Public Servants making the purchasing decisions are risk adverse in nature and given the choice between an expensive big (secure) company with a track record (low perceived risk) and a smaller indigenous business that has little brand recognition (ass cover) – they will always go with the ‘safe’ option.

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    Mute Sean Higgins
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    May 4th 2012, 6:07 PM

    Most small companies don’t see a cent of this money when trying to start up employing staff and paying prsi, paye and vat. So where the hell is it all going………

    27
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    Mute Sean Higgins
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    May 4th 2012, 7:49 PM

    Thompson set up your own company and then get bak to me.

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    Mute Nucky Thompson
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    May 4th 2012, 8:44 PM

    No need my friend, I already have my own company and employ 8 full time staff.

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    Mute David Howard
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    May 4th 2012, 10:25 PM

    The process has been opened up, but the reality is that if an Irish SME “won” an RFP without reference or ‘form’ in any major contract, a large or multinational company would/will simple go to the eu courts saying the process was non compliant and the Irish gov will capitulate… That of course is if anyone who was in a position to make a decision had a pair and stepped outside the cosy convenience of awarding the contract to the huge company with the huge price tag and cosy side clauses in the first place…

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    Mute Frank2521
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    May 4th 2012, 11:38 PM

    Enterprise Ireland – a better name would be ” Only friends need apply”.

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    Mute Joe Roddy
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    May 4th 2012, 11:50 PM

    That’s a nonsense comment. EI do try and help. They don’t like single person companies, they prefer in teams. They also heavily lean on experience, so anyone under 30 would find it more difficult.

    I don’t really agree with government betting tax payers money on start-ups. The only thing start-ups need is customers to generate cash flow.

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    Mute Niall Dooley
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    May 4th 2012, 6:56 PM

    Great article and it’s a view |’ve shared for many years. Government contracts should be open to a competitive tender process perhaps not annually but certainly every couple of years. I have no doubt public money is being wasted by companies who have government contracts and who over time become inefficient but at the same time don’t fear losing the contract they may have held for decades. The new startups should be the way to always push for innovation. Surely, there are startups who could revolutionise our health service for example with a clever use of software. The number of areas this would apply to is enormous. We need to be investing more in these science and technology companies as they will drive any economy and improve our standard of living to no end. All we need is someone in government with true vision. I lament at how little consideration science is given in forming public policy. I recommend everyone to read ‘The Geek Manifesto’ by Mark Henderson.

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    Mute Craig Walters
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    May 4th 2012, 9:12 PM

    Hang on hpsu, so called gazelles, are innovative, manufacturers or internationally traded services, but most importantly have an export focus ! So how can we buy from them if they’ve an export focus ?

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    Mute Popsicle Pete
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    May 4th 2012, 7:20 PM

    What if they have inferior products or services, why buy from them then?

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    Mute John Fintan Kennedy
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    May 5th 2012, 7:38 AM

    Good article. As far as I’m aware winning government business is next to impossible for most Irish software firms. Which often puts them in a strange place when competing overseas as their rivals can cite govt business at home. In spite of this many succeed, but little or no thanks to Ireland’s government sector. It will be interesting to see if our govts new interest in cloud computing will result in local software contracts too

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    Mute RP McMurphy
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    May 5th 2012, 8:53 AM

    @nucky thompson. Your comments are wildly off the mark judging by the experience of many, myself included, but perhaps one of your gifts is dealing with ps procurement. Does your company have a website perchance? You are very vague in the description of what field you are in.

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    Mute Nucky Thompson
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    May 5th 2012, 9:22 AM

    There are too many companies in Ireland who think they are good enough to win public sector contracts when the reality is that they simply are not good enough.

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    Mute Peter Faulkner
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    May 7th 2012, 11:56 AM

    The main point of the article is quite obviously valid. The state should support its own investments, if the project is good enough to invest in, it should follow it must be good enough to buy from!

    All SMEs should have a fair shot at Government procurement.. They generate employment and tax revenues in this country, it is more than galling to see overseas firms pick off supply contacts and leave nothing here. My own sector, Print and Packaging, is a classic example. We have seen a vast number of closures due to a lack of orders…while government spends overseas, all justified by Euro gobbledygook and an inability of our public servants to innovate in making it happen at home. As usual, if you don’t want to do it, it becomes impossible!

    Peter Faulkner

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    Mute Funding Enterprise
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    May 5th 2012, 4:10 PM

    We know that the key to IT/Digital velocity is early sales connectivity. Even though we are a funding organisation, we seek to drive growth in early stage IT.Digital primarily through minimum viable product and, if necessary, service work. Recently we have effectively seed funded a superb operation in prospect analytics with service work and am now driving it with a tactically assembled sales force. This week we have taken a significant stake in a digital messaging marketing platform in return for accelerating its growth out across our very extensive network.
    Yes, funding is important – but connection to the commercial world and commercial acceleration are often more important again,.

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    Mute Sean Higgins
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    May 4th 2012, 9:29 PM

    Did you get help setting up

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    Mute Nucky Thompson
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    May 4th 2012, 9:47 PM

    Other than a great wife and an understanding bank manager I got to where I am now pretty much on my own. We have won a number of public sector contracts over the past 5 years by offering innovative solutions to public sector requirements.

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    Mute RP McMurphy
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    May 5th 2012, 11:32 AM

    @nucky. That may indeed be true Nucky so I am even more curious re your company/ website now in order to learn from you.

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