Taxi drivers to come out in force

TAXI drivers throughout the country are to gather in Dublin next month for their biggest protest against deregulation.

“If the Transport Minister, Seamus Brennan, thinks the last demonstration was big, he ain’t seen nothing yet,” John Ussher, the Irish Taxi Drivers’ Federation president said yesterday.

The group will be joined by members of the other two taxi drivers’ unions, SIPTU and the National Taxi Drivers’ Union, in a protest against the minister’s policies.

“The minister has done absolutely nothing to address our concerns,” said Mr Ussher. “Every day, more and more licences are being issued. It has got to the stage where it has become impossible to make a week’s wages.”

Plans for the protest were being finalised last night as Dublin City Council prepared to discuss a recommendation by a working party of the city’s four local authorities for an increase in taxi fares in the capital.

Taxi drivers had sought a rise of 15% in fares on top of the 16% already granted in January of last year. However, it is understood that the final figure to be agreed will be closer to 7%.

“Everywhere where deregulation has occurred it has meant an increase in fares and not the opposite,” National Taxi Drivers’ Union vice-president Vinny Kearns said.

The last major protest by taxi drivers occurred three years ago when deregulation was first introduced. More than 2,700 drivers took to the streets of Dublin in that demonstration.

“Now there are more than 10,000 taxi drivers in Dublin alone and we will be joined by others from around the country. We expect more than 14,000 to turn up,” said Mr Ussher.

The minister had exacerbated the situation by continuing to issue more licences while cutting down the number of taxi ranks in Dublin, he said.

Around 10,000 taxi-drivers who bought new licences since the trade was liberalised will also have to undergo compulsory training courses as part of a series of measures aimed at improving standards in the industry.

Mr Brennan announced last weekend that part-time taxi drivers may be barred from operating in the industry under new laws to be announced later this year. Legislation establishing the Office of the National Taxi Regulator on a statutory basis is also due to be published in the coming weeks.

The office will take over the powers of the minister and local authorities by issuing licences, setting fees and establishing dress codes for drivers.