Mr. Jim Waldron:

The only statistics that are available are from Dublin Airport. Dublin Airport is operating at 10% of the business prior to Covid. I suggest the statistic for taxi drivers is similar or worse. There is no night-time business. The night clubs are not operational. A total of 82% of drivers worked on a Friday, and 62% of them worked late in the evening on a Friday. That work is gone, basically, so that is a major problem. The number of people now working from home means they do not require a taxi to get to work. There is a huge drop-off. I cannot estimate a financial figure but I know most of the drivers who went on to the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, are still on it and they need it. The PUP is allowing them survive but it is not allowing them to pay the bills. The bills are backing up. The cars and the insurance still have to be paid for. Another problem with the NTA is it let us down on insurance. We still have to have full insurance in place. Drivers had a licence suspended for three months and now are told they have to have it back on the road in seven days and they have to replace their insurance. All of these bills are backing up. That is the effect it is having in terms of economics.