Students deserve to know affordable and safe public transport is available to them after nights out, according to the Union of Students in Ireland.
Dublin's NiteLink service remains shut until further notice, despite restrictions on later opening hours and nightclubs lifting next week.
Min for Higher Education Simon Harris tells me he hasn’t yet, but plans to contact the Transport Minister over plans to bring back the NiteLink to help students return safely from nights out.
Says colleges and cities need to work together to tackle the issue of sexual assault pic.twitter.com/iltsYDIB7O
— Mairéad Cleary (@maireadcleary7) October 14, 2021
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre says establishing better transport links would be a positive step in creating safer cities, but change needs to happen at a societal level.
"We cannot have Gardaí on every street corner, we cannot have a system where it depends on women to keep themselves safe," said the head of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Noeline Blackwell.
While, the Higher Education Minister says college campuses need to work with town and city councils, to ensure a safer environment for students travelling home from nights out.
Simon Harris says he plans to contact the Transport Minister in the hopes of reestablishing Dublin’s NiteLink services which are not due to return when clubs reopen.
