Irish motorists who abuse lollipop men and women on road-crossings near schools were tonight facing the possibility of police action.
Fed up with being shouted at by drivers forced to wait while children get to school, crossing wardens in Dublin have asked for, and been given incident-report forms.
The completed documents will be passed to police with a view to prosecuting persistent offenders.
Dublin Corporation spokesman, Mr Michael Byrne, said: "There have been incidents of school wardens being subjected to anti-social behaviour and verbal abuse and speeding and dangerous driving.
"Motorists have become frustrated because of the steep rise in the levels of Dublin traffic over the years, and they are taking it out on the wardens, who are becoming increasingly concerned.
"They are now being asked to report all incidents, no matter how minor, and we will take appropriate action when we have gathered up all the data."
One of the lollipop ladies targeted by abusive motorists is Ms Brigid Cummings, who operates as a warden on a busy road beside a school in Dublin's Ballyfermot district, and has been in the job for 20 years.
She said: "A lot of the time motorists just don't appear to see me - often because they are on mobiles - and drive past me. There have been a number of near-misses, where children have been lucky to escape injury.
" Often the worst offenders are parents of children at the school."
PA