Rail staff want either an increase in private security or gardaí to immediately start policing the country's trains.

It follows the assault of rail worker at Connolly Station in Dublin at the weekend.

The worker is reported to have suffered a fractured wrist in the incident.

Irish Rail spokesperson Barry Kenny has said that gardaí apprehended a suspect following the incident.

The National Bus & Rail Union (NBRU), meanwhile, has recently written to the Transport Minister asking for increased security to protect its members.

It has welcomed the response from the Shane Ross, but stressed that the weekend assault marks a 'watershed moment' in the debate.

Following this latest incident, General Secretary Dermot O'Leary says that transport workers now believe that "enough is enough".

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, he argued: "Irish Rail have done their best based on their own resources, and bringing in some added security. It's important to understand that hose security are private security - they don't have the powers of detention and arrest, and they themselves travel in teams for their own safety.

"The call from the NBRU over many years, but certainly over the last number of weeks, to the Minister is to look at a transport police like the UK, and maybe have a Garda division that covers public transport. That's what we're asking for."

He added: "[Transport workers] need immediate resources. Whether that's assisting the company in ramping up private security in the interim, or maybe using some extra Garda resources through the Minister for Justice's office."

Last month, Irish Rail confirmed it had increased security to deal with a growing number of attacks on trains.

There has been more than a thousand recorded disturbances on trains since the start of last year.