A lunchtime protest by a group of taxi drivers sought to raise awareness of the high rate of suicide within the industry.
Michael Blanch of the Taxi Drivers Right to Life and Livelihood campaign told The Irish Times up to 34 drivers had taken their lives in the previous two years.
Drivers attached black ribbons to their car and drove to the Department of Transport and the Taoiseach’s office to hand in letters raising their concerns.
At 12.15pm before the protest began drivers held a minutes silence at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin city centre in memory of their colleagues and all suicide victims.
Mr Blanch said taxi drivers are a mirror image of what is happening in Irish society today with suicides, emigration, mass unemployment and poverty.
He said: “People get into the taxis and ask ‘what’s the black ribbons for?’ so we highlight the high rate of suicide and they can’t believe it - they’re in shock.”
The letters to the Taoiseach and Minister called for a change in Government policy and the abolition of the Taxi Regulator's office as it had lost “all credibility and confidence”.
Mr Blanch said the nine-year rule (where taxis cannot be more than nine years old) will result in thousands of men becoming unemployed and said the overflowing ranks and the amount of cars on the street were evidence the industry is in disarray.
This is the 3rd black ribbon day the drivers have held following on from protests on the last Wednesday of the month since September.