Gardaí appeal for witnesses to taxi driver shooting

A taxi driver was shot at least twice in the legs last night after a dispute broke out with two passengers he picked up in Dublin city centre.

The 59-year-old victim has been named locally as James Boylan, Montpelier Park, North Circular Road in Dublin .

The married father of two picked up the two passengers who asked to be taken to Finglas in the north of the city.

When the car reached the Dunsoughly Drive housing estate at 8.30pm, a dispute broke out and escalated.

Mr Boylan is believed to have asked the men to get out of his car.

One of the men produced what gardaí believe was a handgun and fired a number of shots at the victim, wounding him in both legs. The attack was witnessed by a number of local people.

Gardaí are still trying to establish exactly how many shots were fired and are examining the area where the incident occurred.

Mr Boylan's black Toyota Avensis has also been taken away to be examined by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

Mr Boylan was taken by ambulance from the scene to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown where his injuries were described as not life-threatening.

He has spoken to gardaí briefly and officers probing the shooting are hopeful he may be well enough in the next 24 hours to speak to them at length.

Garda sources said Mr Boylan has had no involvement in any form of crime. Detectives are trying to establish if he was shot as part of a row over a taxi fare.

The two attackers fled the scene and gardaí were today continuing their search for them.

Gardaí have appealed to anybody who was in the area who may have witnessed the shooting or two men running from the area to come forward and aid the investigation in confidence.