Almost 1,000 people have visited Dublin Corporation offices seeking application forms for new taxi licences, within 48 hours of Minister of State Mr Bobby Molloy signing orders to deregulate the industry.
As angry taxi-drivers shifted their protests to outside Dail Eireann, where pickets are set to continue into next week, the Government has got the first indication of likely demand for new licences. "There has been huge interest," said Ms Eileen Brady, assistant principal officer with Dublin Corporation's Office of the Director of Traffic.
Taxi-drivers have moved their main protest from Dublin Airport to Kildare Street but the Government remains determined to proceed with deregulation. It told the industry that if every effort were made to call off the blockades and protests around the State, talks on deregulation would be held on Tuesday.
The call was backed by leaders of the three main taxi unions but there were indications that some members may resume blockading streets over coming days.
Most taxi-drivers across the State begin their third day of unofficial industrial action this morning. Though blockades of airports and main roads have been lifted, the drivers intend at the very least to maintain an onfoot protest outside Leinster House for "as long as it takes".
In a telephone call last night, Mr Molloy told SIPTU president Mr Des Geraghty that if efforts were made to call off all protests - including those in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford - a meeting could be held. Some drivers demanded that a meeting be held sooner than Tuesday.
Earlier, Mr Geraghty proposed the idea of "qualitative deregulation". Advocating the setting of minimum requirements in the quality of vehicles, condition of interiors and the level of knowledge applicants had of the city where they hoped to work, he said this would provide a "natural cap" on the number of new taxi plates coming on-stream.
The pleas of union leaders did not succeed in ending on-street protests, however. In some cases traffic blockades continued, notably in Kildare Street outside the Dail, where a large number of gardai were present. Taxi services also continued to be withdrawn in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, with major traffic delays in many areas.
However the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was standing firmly behind deregulation. He said the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, had spelt out what he intended to do regarding tax write-offs as a form of compensation for taxi licence-holders.
Mr Ahern said the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, had made it "absolutely clear that the rule of law had to be upheld and that taxi men knew the rules of the road better than most".
However, he acknowledged industry leaders had been asking members to stop their blockades. He said the recent High Court judgment meant it had fallen to the Government to sort out the situation.
The leaders of the taxi industry are due to meet this morning to discuss strategy.
Hackney companies, meanwhile, have reported a large increase in business.