Concerns for safety of Cork taxi drivers raised in Dáil

The National Transport Authority released a report last year which showed 48% of drivers surveyed said they had stopped working at night due to safety concerns.

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire claimed many taxi drivers are not reporting assaults as they do not think that anything will happen if they do. File picture: Larry Cummins

A TD has raised concerns in the Dáil about assaults on taxi drivers in Cork.

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire was speaking after a man was given a six-month sentence yesterday after pleading guilty to a charge of assault causing harm to a taxi driver in Blarney in December 2020.

Mr Ó Laoghaire claims many taxi drivers are not reporting assaults as they do not think that anything will happen if they do.

"That is the fear that they have that there won't be a follow-on from it," he said.

There have been too many of those and a number of them injured and they are extremely worried at this point in time.

"I would urge the local gardaí in Cork to engage with the taxi drivers and I would urge that the NTA ensure that taxi drivers are protected in whatever way possible."

Speaking in court yesterday, Judge Helen Boyle said that taxi drivers are entitled to be safe while carrying out their job.

The National Transport Authority released a report last year which showed 48% of drivers surveyed said they had stopped working at night because of concerns about their safety.