Taxi reforms may be linked to compensation claims following deregulation

FURTHER reform of the taxi industry may be linked to up-coming compensation claims arising from deregulation, it emerged last night.

Transport Minister Seamus Brennan will next week take delivery of a report from a special three-member hardship panel which has assessed more than 2,000 compensation claims arising from the decision in 2001 to issue a large number of taxi plates.

Unions representing the drivers say the move left taxi operators and their families at a loss of some 375 million euro in the value of their plates which many people had bought in the years prior to deregulation for sums of up to 100,000 euro each.

SIPTU taxi drivers representative Gerry Brennan yesterday said he believed some positive developments had come from meetings between the drivers and the hardship panel.

He said categories of hardship had been identified which included drivers aged over 65; drivers approaching retirement age; those who invested in wheelchair accessible cabs; and families who were dependent on rental revenue from taxi plates.

“The rental market has now all but collapsed,” the SIPTU representative said.

Vincent Kearns of the National Taxi Drivers Union was part of a delegation which met with the panel.

He later said the submissions had been broken down into eight categories, the majority of which should receive some payment.

Mr Kearns said he understood those who were in receipt of alternative income or pensions would not be eligible and further information and verification would be required before any payments are made.

Mr Kearns said they wanted the report published. “We also hold the Taoiseach to his promise that this matter will be dealt with before the second anniversary of deregulation on November 21 next,” Mr Kearns said.

A spokesman for the Transport Minister last night said Mr Brennan will carefully study the report and consider its findings.

The Programme for Government appears to commit Mr Brennan to implement the group’s recommendations.

Other informed sources last night suggested Mr Brennan is also seeking to advance reforms of the taxi sector including the establishment of a special regulatory authority. It is understood while the minister will not make a one-for-one link between these reforms and compensation, it is clear that funds may be more readily available if taxi industry changes are effected.

As yet it is unclear what the average payment made maybe.

Government officials last night said there was no basis for speculation that payments may be averaging between 25,000 euro and 35,000 euro.