Mr. David McGuinness:

There are approximately five main organisations representing the majority of taxi drivers. Over the past couple of months, co-operation between these organisations has become greater, and a request was made as a result that the other organisations would be allowed to come here today and sit with us while we made our presentation. The majority of the organisations agree on 90% of the issues being raised today. As a result of a meeting last Tuesday, we made representations to the secretary of the committee for other organisations to send a member here today. The proposed legislation has focused the minds of all the organisations to work to the benefit of members and leave personal differences behind. There is greater co-operation as a result.

The Senator mentioned the O'Connell Street rank, which has been ridiculed throughout the country in the media and everywhere else. There was a problem in the location up to approximately two years ago. Our organisation set up meetings with the local superintendent and sergeant in Store Street Garda station, making a number of recommendations on how the rank could work better. A year and a half ago the recommendations were put in practice by the drivers on the rank, and it now operates successfully. There have been race related issues at the rank but a number of our members are from outside of Ireland and work on that rank. Some of the stories are urban myth at this stage and what used to happen does not really happen any more.

This is an example of taxi drivers working with the Garda to sort out issues as they arise. We worked with gardaí in Store Street station to resolve issues relating to the Sackville Place taxi rank at the side of Clery's shop. We contacted the Garda and it was in its interest that we were allocated more spaces as a holding area for taxis, as there had been illegal activity in the area. The illegal practices have now ceased as there is a constant flow of taxi drivers going through the area. It was an area where one may not have ventured before but taxis are now parked waiting for work. The gardaí in Store Street station worked with us and Dublin City Council in making that holding area.

The marshalling of ranks is a good suggestion. There was also a suggestion that taxi drivers should pay for it. As the National Transport Authority takes in a lot of money every year from the taxi industry perhaps it could fund the provision of marshals on particular ranks.