A survey of public transport workers 'paints a fairly ugly picture' of services, a transport commentator has said.
Some 80% say drug use by passengers on board has got worse in the last 12 months.
The SIPTU survey of more than 650 bus, rail and Luas staff found nearly three-quarters witnessed drug abuse in their workplaces several times a month, while just under 20% said drug use was an issue on a nearly daily basis.
More than 73% of respondents said they had felt threatened and unsafe due to the use of drugs by passengers.
Almost 83% said they have witnessed drug dealing on the public transport system, with 15.31% saying they witnessed it multiple times a week.
A Luas tram on Dublin's O'Connell Street, 13-9-19. Image: Hemis / AlamySome 85% say the extent of abuse they have to endure at work was a problem with over one-third saying it was a "serious issue".
It also found nearly one-fifth of migrant workers said they experience racist abuse or discrimination often while at work.
SIPTU officials are appearing before the Oireachtas Transport Committee to discuss the findings.
The union wants all political parties to support its call for the establishment of a dedicated transport police unit.
Transport commentator Conor Faughnan told The Pat Kenny Show the survey paints an ugly picture.
"By anecdote that does seem to be getting worse and worse," he said.
"It's really disappointing to hear that racist abuse is being distributed and you wonder if it's just people being drunk or stoned and obnoxious and being rude to whoever they deal with, or whether they're actually specific racism underpinning it.
"But it paints a fairly ugly picture."
A view inside a Dublin Bus. Image: Keith Poynton / AlamyMr Faughnan said the majority of public transport journeys are safe.
"I think we should step back a bit and say the vast majority of journeys taken on our public transport system are entirely safe," he said.
"Ugly incidents like that do draw the eye and we've all seen it from time to time and it's disappointing," he added.
