Mr. Gerard Macken:

Uber is legislated for as a dispatch operator and works fine as a taxi dispatch operator. It will not work as a provider of rural taxi services. Rural taxis and hackneys are the only way to go. I cannot see any reason to extend Uber further when there is already an agreement for Irish Rural Link services. I suggest that every taxi and hackney driver should be linked into the National Transport Authority. There is a safety aspect which is not advertised enough, namely, the driver check app. Each taxi driver who provides services in these areas can be contacted through the National Transport Authority. If a tender needs to be issued, it can be issued to 26,000 drivers.