Mr. Jim Waldron:

I thank the Chairman for inviting me to attend the committee meeting. I represent the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, the biggest representative group in Ireland for taxi drivers. We evolved from the Private Hire Association prior to the landmark case Humphrey v. Minister for Environment and Local Government, Dundalk Urban District Council and Dublin Corporation, when our president, Christopher Humphrey, took on the Government and won a case on behalf of our members. Virtually overnight the number of taxis grew by about 500%.

We agree that the rural communities of Ireland need support and imaginative ideas to help them, including broadband, health, crime prevention and, particularly, transport services. We suggest, however, that the answer is not an "Uber-style" transport service. This would be detrimental and dangerous to both rural communities and taxi drivers. What does Uber-style mean? It seems to us that it stands for no rules, no standards and no responsibility. At present we have standards for anyone who wishes to operate as a driver of a small public service vehicle, SPSV. First, one must have an SPSV licence. Second, one must have an SPSV-licensed vehicle. It is as simple as that. To meet these requirements, one must pass an area knowledge test, be deemed a fit and proper person to hold an SPSV licence by An Garda Síochána and have adequate insurance.

Now we have vested interest groups suggesting we dumb down the taxi industry and allow anyone to drive for hire to benefit his or her interests. If drivers are allowed to do so, what does the committee expect will happen? We predict people coming from the pub will be met with drivers deemed unsuitable by An Garda Síochána, cars that are not suitable or roadworthy and situations like, for example, a babysitter taking children out of bed and along for the ride to get an extra few euro. If the committee allows Uber-style service, it will invite drivers who are so desperate that they will break any rules for profit. This is already reported as happening worldwide. We read almost daily about confrontation, assaults, rapes and even murders by so-called Uber drivers, or what we would class as unregulated taxi services, and to think this is the answer to bringing people home from the pub.

Our understanding of rural Ireland is one of communities and neighbourly compassion. It is people helping one another, and it is to be hoped they will continue to do so. If Mr. or Mrs. Murphy wants to visit the local surgery or the health service, the HSE will not provide the transport service; neighbours will, and they do so at present. There will never be a taxi for everyone in the audience, nor an ambulance, a post office, a garda, a bus or a train, whether in rural life or city life. If one allows Uber-style services into any part of Ireland, they will grow and destroy the livelihoods of the 21,000 taxi families, both urban and rural, relying on the industry to make a living. We are the men and women who drive people to and from the shops, college, offices, hospitals, workplaces, concerts and sports events. We are the people who work unsociable hours to bring people home from the pub. We are the people on the front line facing anti-social behaviour and dealing with people who are drunk or on drugs. We are the people who provide a safe, professional public transport service. We are the families relying on our business to survive. The committee's decisions will affect us and we will remember the decisions and recommendations made by the committee. The committee could be responsible for destroying our livelihoods if it downgrades our standards. Please do not.