Taxi drivers' concerns aired at meeting

A national meeting of taxi drivers to discuss the escalation of their dispute with the taxi regulator, Ger Deering, continued late into last night at the National Stadium in Dublin.

Drivers attending the meeting, organised by the three main representative unions, the National Taxi Drivers' Union (NTDU), Siptu and the Taxi Drivers' Federation, looked set to withhold the new €500 annual fee for operating out of Dublin airport, but it was not clear if they would implement further work stoppages.

Two one-day stoppages were held in the last month in protest over changes to the industry. From September 25th a new national fare structure with minimum charges set at €3.80, or €4.10 at premium times, will replace the system where fares were set by individual local authorities.

The new structure also sees the abolition of luggage charges and a €1.50 hiring charge for picking up passengers from Dublin airport.

Union leaders had hoped the meeting would fill the National Stadium, which has a capacity of 2,000, but fewer than 600 drivers turned up.

Those who attended voiced concern both about the future of the industry and the way in which they have been portrayed during their dispute with Mr Deering.

Speaking outside the meeting, Dublin driver Gus McDonnell said drivers were facing the same cost-of-living increases as the rest of the public, and were particularly badly affected by rising fuel costs, yet they had no mechanism to offset these costs and were reliant on the regulator.

"All we want is fair play and that is what we don't get. Ger Deering has left us out in the cold. In the consultation on the regulatory process he has listened to everyone on the periphery, taken their concerns on board, but ignored ours."

The Government had allowed the taxi industry to expand without consideration for the welfare of the workers in the industry, he said.

"The Government is using the taxi industry as a sticking plaster to cover up the inadequacies of the public transport system."

A number of drivers said they had not wanted stoppages, but felt they had no other forum to make their concerns known.

"We don't want stoppages, nobody wants to go on strike, but especially when you are self-employed, but we have to stand up for ourselves," said Des McEneaney, another Dublin driver.