Assaults on taxi drivers are increasing, says union

TAXI drivers are being attacked three or four times a week and the number of assaults is growing, union representatives have warned.

President of the National Taxi Drivers Union (NTDU) Tommy Gorman said the weekend attacks on three Dublin drivers in the space of 24 hours highlighted the critical need for protection measures for drivers.

He criticised Justice Minister Michael McDowell for failing to meet with union representatives to discuss driver safety, despite a written request to his department on January 7 last.

“All we got was an acknowledgement of our request. Several follow-up phone calls were made to the Minister’s office since then, but he has not been in touch with us.”

Mr Gorman said drivers were subjected to many attacks since January.

“There are three to four each week that we know of, but not all are reported. Even the gardaí in one of Dublin’s main stations have recorded a growing number of attacks.”

Mr Gorman said incidents in recent months included:

A group of nine passengers insisting on piling into an eight-seater wheelchair-accessible vehicle and then beating up the driver on arrival at their destination.

“They were charged with grievous bodily harm but nothing has been done since. They are out on bail and that driver has not been able to return to work.”

Another incident involved a backseat female passenger jumping into the front and biting the driver’s face. She had to be restrained by two gardaí. Mr Gorman said she too was out on bail.

A 72-year-old driver was forced at knifepoint to drive to a housing estate in Dundrum, before being robbed and forced to drive his attacker back to the Patrick St area of the city.

“His attacker nicked his face with the knife. That attack bore all the hallmarks of the attacks at the weekend. I believe it was the same man.”

Mr Gorman said the union had requested a blue light on the outside of taxis six years ago, which the driver could activate if under attack, alerting the public, gardaí or other drivers.

The request was turned down.

“Our people are being slaughtered out there. We’re out there working all hours with no protection. When we’re attacked, we’re on our own. Maybe Minister McDowell doesn’t feel the issue is important enough to tackle, but in light of the weekend attacks, something has to be done.”

A spokesman for Minister McDowell said he would meet with the unions within the next month.