Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Everybody should agree that taxi drivers provide an essential public transport service and, therefore, deserve support and respect. That there are approximately 500 parking spaces in Dublin for up to 15,000 taxis is a disgrace. Many taxi drivers are treated like fugitives and pushed around by An Garda Síochána when looking for a place to wait to pick up passengers. While nobody is advocating a return to the other extreme when there were massive queues of young people waiting at night in cities and towns for non-existent taxis, there is a just solution for the public using taxis and those providing the service. While I am glad the Ministers are meeting the representatives of the taxi drivers, we seek quick action on these issues because real human problems and the well-being of the public are at stake. We want the Government to return with real solutions that bear in mind the justice being called for. A good taxi transport system is called for, as are decent living standards and safety for taxi drivers.

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