Angry taxi drivers to stage mass protest ahead of Ryder Cup

ANGRY taxi drivers are to stage a mass protest rally in Dublin in early September over a new fare structure.

The drivers are also threatening to boycott the prestigious Ryder Cup golf tournament at the K Club in Co Kildare, in late September,

Drivers across the country are being urged by their unions to withdraw service on September 4 between 6am and 1pm.

Yesterday, taxi regulator Ger Deering rejected an invitation to attend a mass meeting of taxi drivers to discuss their dispute.

In a statement, the Commission for Taxi Regulation said it did not regard a mass meeting as “the right format for a constructive exchange of information”.

The commission said its priority was to provide information directly to drivers, and the commissioner was available to meet representatives at any time for discussions.

At a meeting lasting more than two hours yesterday, executives of the three main unions — which represent 14,000 of the State’s 17,000 taxis — took the decision to escalate the row after the regulator turned down their invitation.

On the day of protest, pickets will withdraw from ranks at 10am and all drivers will be asked to assemble in the Phoenix Park and drive in cavalcade to Mr Deering’s office in Fitzwilliam Square.

Here, union leaders will address the drivers and invite Mr Deering to address them also.

National Taxi Drivers Union general secretary Tommy Gorman said: “If he (Mr Deering) refuses, then we will make sure he hears what we are saying.”

A spokesperson for the taxi commission has insisted the new fare plan — to be introduced on September 25 — will not be renegotiated as it has already been signed into law.

A commission spokesperson said the commission would review the new national maximum taxi fare on an ongoing basis, with a full review scheduled to take place no later than 2008.

If the dispute is not resolved, drivers could refuse to take fares to the three-day golf tournament and not respond to calls for pick-ups from the event at Straffan, Co Kildare.

Without mentioning the golf event by name, the taxi regulator’s statement said any strike action, particularly during a period of high tourist activity, would only harm the perception of the industry and Ireland as a whole.