Claims dozens of cab drivers operating illegally in parts of Cork and Limerick

DOZENS of cab drivers in towns in the north Cork and south Limerick areas are operating illegally, it has been claimed.

Some of the alleged offenders are claiming social welfare despite working up to 80 hours weekly while others are illegally using oversized vehicles.

Law-abiding drivers are claiming they are being driven out of business in towns such as Kilmallock and Charleville because of the activities of the rogue operators.

Now they are demanding the authorities take action.

One of the biggest offences involves drivers only declaring a small number of hours worked so that they can claim social welfare payments.

According to one driver, who asked to remain anonymous, there is at least one driver working in excess of 80 hours while claiming state benefits in the north Cork region. Many others were operating more than 50 hours, it was claimed.

“You see young girls who cannot get the vaccines yet these boys are drawing down thousands each off the state. It is sickening,” he said.

The drivers undercut the price charged by legal operators on the meter by charging made-up prices to those customers they know in the town. They will use the meter for unknown passengers because of fears that they could be detected by the taxi regulator. Overcrowding of the taxis also seems to be a common complaint in the region.

It is understood drivers come into the towns in the busy periods in 16-seater vans with a cab sign emblazoned in the front window. The legal limit is only eight people yet the drivers never get stopped.

The offence came to the attention of the public earlier this year when a north Cork taxi driver was stopped by gardaí carrying 19 children — that’s 11 more than he was legally entitled to transport.

With gardaí now paying more attention to that crime, it is understood the illegal drivers have resorted to employing someone else to drive ahead of their vehicle and warn them if there is a checkpoint ahead so that they can divert around it.

The biggest issue for legal drivers is the failure of the regulator to take the situation in rural towns in hand.

One driver said he had complained to both the regulator and the social welfare department about the irregularities, but nothing was being done.

Last night, the regulator’s office said consumers should only use a taxi, hackney or limousine that was licensed to operate and had the proper documentation displayed.

However, it said it could do nothing about the drivers doing the “double” — working full-time while claiming social welfare. It said this was a matter for the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

Edward Lynch of the Independent Workers’ Union taxi branch said it was time the authorities got their act together and enforce the law properly.

“We have been aware of illegal taxi activity in this area for some time yet nothing has been done about it,” he said.