Government has 'no intention' of allowing rideshare apps to address taxi shortage, minister says

Transport minister Darragh O'Brien was responding to research which highlighted supply shortage in the taxi sector

Competition and Consumer Protection Commission research highlighted a supply shortage in the taxi sector, as four in 10 people who tried to get a taxi in December reported difficulties doing so.

The transport minister has ruled out ridesharing apps with private car drivers after the consumer watchdog called for them to be deregulated.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said its research highlighted a supply shortage in the taxi sector, as four in 10 people who tried to get a taxi in December reported difficulties doing so.

In addition, 57% of people surveyed expressed the belief there were not enough taxis available in their area. However, there are large differences across geographical locations.

While 56% of those living in Dublin believed there were enough taxis in their area, only 28% of those outside of Dublin agreed. This drops to 21% for those living in Connacht or Ulster.

However, Darragh O'Brien said there was "no intention" to change the policy to allow private drivers on apps. Mr O'Brien said he noted the CCPC research, but would not be approving any moves to deregulate the industry.

"The protection of the consumer and personal safety are vital objectives and must continue to be central to how the taxi and hackney sector is regulated and operated. The model where anyone with a private car, not licensed as a small public service vehicle, and an app can provide taxi services does not exist in Ireland. It is not Government policy, and there is no intention to introduce it."

Mr O'Brien said the "structure of the taxi and hackney market has undoubtedly changed since liberalisation of the market took place, and more notably in recent years in relation to the role of dispatch operators" and he had asked the National Transport Authority (NTA) to review the sector.

"I have requested that the NTA conduct a regulatory assessment of dispatch operator licensing in Ireland in the context of ensuring that the regulatory framework for this element of the overall sector is sufficiently up to date and robust to respond to developments since the enactment of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.

A sustainable taxi sector is an important element of our transport system, and I encourage taxi drivers, passengers, the CCPC and all stakeholders to take the opportunity to feed into this important piece of work.

Late last year, taxi drivers announced they were going to hold a series of protests in Dublin over the decision of Uber to introduce fixed fares. However, the protests were suspended pending the outcome of a meeting with the Government over the issue.

About a third of Ireland’s more than 17,000 taxi drivers make use of Uber to source fares.

The drivers, who are not represented by any formal union, are calling for the Government to intervene and update the existing regulations to outlaw what Uber has done.

At the time, an Uber spokesperson said: "Riders are much more likely to book a trip if they know what the fare is going to be, creating more earning opportunities for drivers across Ireland. Before accepting a trip, drivers can see their estimated earnings and the route used to calculate this amount, which also includes factors like traffic and time of day."