I may have picked a slightly bad example although I must say, I have never had any bother from this group of people but perhaps that is because it is always they way it has been on that train.
Anyway, are we now extending discussion to banning offensive or blasphemous conversation from the train? Given that blasphemy is already (incredibly) a criminal offence in Ireland, surely all you need to do if find a guard or Irish Rail staff member and report this.
Which leads me to my second point - when is the last time you have seen an Irish Rail staff member in the passenger area of this train? It is about 3 years since I've seen one and I take this train 4 times a week.
So, if you banned alcohol, do you think the kind of scumbag who engages in threatening behaviour is going to pay the blindest bit of notice? No, the only person who would be affected is the little old lady who might like a quarter bottle of wine for her journey or the law abiding majority who might fancy a cold beer at the end of a hot day. Even if they were to enforce it, do you fancy standing in a queue at Connolly station while staff go through your bags looking for beer? I never have a drink on the train as I have to drive when I get to the station but it is obvious to me how just banning it would introduce a stack of unintended consequences and would make no difference as it would never be enforced.
Now, threatening behaviour is an entirely different thing and the reality is that it is as likely to be as a result of people being high as it is of them being pissed. The behaviour itself is the issue, not the cause of it. The best resolution for this would be to deploy some security personnel who would get on trains at random stops and deal with people who are acting the maggot.
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