An anti-racism organisation is warning that the vast majority of racist attacks on public transport go unreported.

It comes as details, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show that Iarnród Éireann has received 10 official complaints of racial abuse on its services in the past 18 months.

Five of the complaints have been logged since March of this year.

Racial abuse

In one incident, a man abused a passenger over his Asian heritage and then launched into a racist tirade - shouting that he hated 'foreigners' and 'black people.'

In another, a woman who was described as a non-native English speaker was followed up and down the train by two teenagers who blocked her off and cornered her.

The report said the woman was terrified and thought they had a knife. She said that when she got off the train they followed her and they only fled when she asked a member of staff for help.

One of the complaints received by Irish Rail

In another, a man racially abused a passenger before hitting him with a “body punch” after he refused to hand over money or cigarettes.

In June meanwhile, the train company was told that a drunk and disorderly passenger had berated and racially abused a passenger and his wife incessantly.

"Shocking"

Iarnród Éireann spokesperson Barry Kenny condemned the behaviour.

“It is shocking to even read the details – never mind how it must feel to people who are subjected to disgusting racial abuse,” he said.

“It has no place on our services; it has no place in our stations.”

The rail company said that, while the number of complaints is "very low," the incidents that are reported are "shocking."

"We are appalled at those who engage in disgusting racial abuse towards people on our services," it said.

Shane O’Curry, Director of the European Network Against Racism, said fewer than 10% of serious racist incidents are ever reported to the authorities.

Iarnród Éireann is urging any passenger who witnesses or is subject to racial abuse to ensure it is reported.

Passengers can use the company's new new Text Alert service to report anti-social behaviour by texting TRAIN followed by details of any incident to 51444.

Reporting from Eoghan Murphy