Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD, Seán Crowe, highlighted the difficulties being experienced by Tallaght taxi drivers during a debate in the Dáil on the new Taxi Regulation Bill.

Crowe said that many of the taxi drivers operating from The Square were earning less than the minimum wage and that the new bill would do little for the majority of drivers who had seen their livelihood undermined by successive Ministers.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“It cannot be denied that business is bad for taxi drivers and something radically needs to change. However, this Bill offers very little to address this growing problem.

“There was a time when one could enjoy a good living from driving a taxi but that has not been the case in many years, especially since the sector was deregulated.

“I am concerned not only for the safety of those who get into taxis but also for the future of the industry.

“At its peak there were 27,000 taxis on the road and in 2008 an estimated 100 million trips were taken in taxis.

“By 2012 that number had decreased significantly to 70 million but the amount of drivers continues to grow.

“It is believed that 25 taxi drivers took their lives between 2008 and 2010. I am aware of a cluster of taxi drivers in my own constituency of Dublin South West who unfortunately chose that option.

“Their actions had a major impact on their families, their communities, and their colleagues, and it is still being talked about years later.

“When asked about causes, many people point to the shape of the industry and the pressure they are under to earn money and repay bills and mortgages.

“This current Bill does not refer to the difficulties taxi drivers face or the particular supports they need.

“I carried out a survey of taxi drivers at The Square in Tallaght and found many are earning less than the minimum wage and some are earning as little as half the minimum wage. They put in really long hours taking people on the short journeys from the local Shopping Centre to resident’s homes but are not making a living wage.

“Many of them are elderly and do not feel confident driving taxis at night. Their only income in the main, comes from the fares they pick up from The Square during daytime and early evening.

“The Government is taking a negative approach to taxi drivers in this Bill. They are treated as criminals or deserving of suspicion. The reality is that taxi drivers represent good value for the State and provide a good service with which most people are happy with.

“Yes Reform is needed in the Taxi industry but the drivers do not deserve vilification.

“Most drivers are honest and hardworking people and suffer enough derision in the media without the Government joining in.

“The Minister of State claimed there are 6,000 criminals in the industry during this debate but what crimes did these individuals commit and have they served their time?

“Is it not wrong to brand people who transgressed in their past lives and may since have turned the corner?

“There is all party agreement that dangerous people such as sex offenders should not be allowed to drive taxis, but denying a licence to someone who committed a non-violent crime perhaps ten years ago could be, for that person, the difference between earning a livelihood, his or her car their home or their ability to feed their family. The majority of people in this House would not support such an outcome.

“We already have laws dealing with criminal behaviour in and outside of the industry but Gardaí in many cases are unable to enforce them because of underfunding.

“This work is also hampered by the huge expansion in the number of taxis after deregulation. Policing the taxi industry is a serious job that cannot be done without resources.

“The vast majority of taxi drivers do not have convictions and they drive their taxis within the law. Some 377 complaints were made about taxi drivers in 2012 out of 20,000 plus drivers and millions of journeys.

“Taxi drivers are more likely to be victims than perpetrators.

“I live several doors away from a taxi driver whose nerves were in bits after being the victim of two syringe attacks over a short period and he decided he couldn’t carry on. Strong vetting procedures are necessary for all applications but this Bill will not root out the problems within the system.

“People have a right to make a living but commitments could be made to the industry to deal with oversupply by reducing the numbers of those who drive taxis to supplement other wages. The industry requires an independent appeals process and more accountability on taxi policy. Sinn Féin’s submission to the review called for a biannual examination of the NTA by the Oireachtas. Bodies could also be more representative of the majority of single licence holding drivers.

“I welcome the provision to allow people to list family members on their licences in case of death. This will ease some of the difficulties but the Bill does not any real attempt to introduce supports or changes that are necessary if we are to transform this industry and give drivers the opportunity to make a decent wage in a safe environment.

“The Minister has missed a really good opportunity to bring about change that could transform the industry and relieve some the onerous difficulties on Taxi drivers and their families.”

ENDS