Taxi Drivers To Protest On Friday

A lobbyist group representing disgruntled taxi drivers are taking to the streets on Friday in protest against a recent report.

Taxi Drivers For Change have called a protest drive at the Airside & Liffey Valley in Dublin from 7am to 11am in response to the release of the Goodbody Report, which said taxi licenses should continued to be issued in the city.

A spokesman for the group said Taxi drivers for change were conducting an urgent analysis of the Goodbody report with a view to meeting with them next week.

"We wish to ask all of our supporters to analyze the report and point out any provable inconsistency's so that we may use them in this meeting. It's a long document so we need all the help we can get," the representative said.

The group also asked supporters to submit ideas to the web site as they intend to respond to the document in detail, together with partners from around the country, on a consensus basis.

The Goodbody Economic report, which last week advised against a moratorium on the granting of taxi licenses despite mass protest from drivers, was described as "unbelievable" by Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald MEP.

Speaking after the publication of the report Ms. McDonald said, "Since the deregulation of taxi licenses in 2000 drivers' earnings have steadily declined while their working hours have increased. It is quite clear that deregulation has not worked and a moratorium on licenses needs to be introduced.

"The fact is that taxi drivers are struggling as a direct result of deregulation and they need the support of the Government. The Minister for Transport must issue a moratorium on licenses."

(DW/BMcC)