34 taxi drivers took own lives in past 2 years
The event, organised by taximan Micheal Blanch and the National Transport Assembly of Ireland, saw over a dozen cabs, led by a car carrying on its roof a black coffin shrouded in the tricolour, travel from the Garden of Remembrance to the Department of Transport where a letter was handed in calling for action on the suicide issue.
Taxi driver Tony Rowe said: “There are many factors contributing to this problem, stress is the biggest with drivers working increasing hours and being fined due to be unable to even find a place to park on a rank.
“The pressures are immense on drivers. One woman whose husband took his own life said that prior to the unfortunate incident he was working 16 to 18 hours a day in an attempt to make ends meet.”
Drivers said the pressures were increasing with a new directive from the Taxi Regulator stating that from next year cars over nine years old can not longer operate as a taxi. Drivers state that it is proving impossible for them to receive bank loans in order to purchase newer cars.
The issue of suicides among drivers was first highlighted in a meeting between the Taxi Regulator Kathleen Doyle and taxi men in October 2007.
Mr Rowe said: “We talked of the early warning signs at that meeting but since then the situation has got worse going from chronic to acute, there has been no action taken at all to prevent the worsening situation.”
The NTAI is compiling a report on the issue which they intend to present to the EU Commission with a call for a official investigation into the pressures which are leading to drivers taking their own lives.
Earlier this month Dublin City Councillors voted to request a meeting with the Taxi Regulator on the issue of the growing number of suicides among drivers.
Councillors have called upon the Taxi Regulator to reinvest funds collected from taxi drivers into procuring more lands for taxi rank spaces around the country.
