Taxi drivers decide not to boycott Ryder Cup

Taxi drivers' unions have lifted their threat to disrupt this weekend's Ryder Cup event after what they described as "constructive…

Taxi drivers' unions have lifted their threat to disrupt this weekend's Ryder Cup event after what they described as "constructive" talks with the taxi regulator and the Department of Transport.

Tommy Gorman of the National Taxi Drivers' Union said the decision had been made collectively within the past hour.

"We are now in very constructive talks with the Department of Transport, the Taxi Regulator and the Dublin Airport Authority," he said.

"We took this decision in order to avoid confrontation at Dublin Airport on Monday."

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Mr Gorman said the taxi unions had sought a period of one month's grace before paying a new annual fee for a permit to use Dublin Airport's ranks.

He also believed a review of the new taxi fare structure, due to come into effect on Monday, would take place within a short time. The taxi unions originally objected that it would take up to two years before the operation of the new fare structure was assessed.

The Taxi Regulator, Ger Deering, welcomed the decision by taxi driver representatives not to disrupt the major sporting event, which will be watched all over the world this weekend.

In a statement, he said: "The new national maximum fare structure is being introduced on Monday with a final compliance date of October 16th. I hope that drivers and customers alike will find it to be a simpler and fairer system. As I have said before, it will be constantly monitored and subject to review."

The three taxi drivers' unions met the Dublin Airport Authority this morning about the introduction of the €500 annual charge for those operating from the airport. The new fee is one of the changes due to come into effect and replaces the current system where passengers pay a levy to the taxi driver picking them up at the airport.

Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said the imposition of the €500 annual charge made no sense and might result in a reduction in the number of taxis operating from the airport.

"The provision of a transport service is fundamental to the operation of any airport," she said.

"This is especially true for Dublin Airport which is one of the few airports serving a capital city which does not have a rail link. If the DAA cannot provide a transport service itself then it has a responsibility to facilitate others to do so."

"It is difficult to justify an inflexible and almost prohibitive €500 annual charge for each taxi. A lower charge of 100 to pay for the management of the holding area might be considered reasonable, but a €500 charge for what may only be occasional use of the Airport by a driver is prohibitive."

The Dublin Airport Authority said the annual fee system was proposed at the request of, and in consultation with, the taxi drivers' unions.

It also said the agreed levy represented a more than 50 per cent reduction in costs to taxis and that in real terms it reduced the previous pick-up levy of 70 cent to 30 cent.

A spokeswoman said the original fee agreed was €633 per annum and the withdrawal of the pick-up levy.

"Following the announcement by the Taxi Regulator to drop the €1.50 airport charge, which according to the taxi unions represented a 20 per cent loss in earnings, the DAA made a further 20 per cent reduction in the annual sum already agreed by taxi unions reducing thereby reducing the annual levy from €633 to €500."

It added that it will not charge the business costs of managing the taxi service at Dublin Airport for a two week period commencing 25th September.