Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not think one can ever consult everybody. We have come a long way since the Dublin taxi forum, of which I was a member in 1998, which was under the auspices of the Dublin Transportation Office. I represented consumer interests. It had a much wider remit than the city of Dublin, as Kildare was fully covered by the DTO. Part of the reason I wanted to get involved was that what was happening to those who wanted to operate taxis at the time was outrageous. The industry was seen as an industry of insiders. Essentially, a small number of people were controlling the number of taxi plates. They used to be advertised for sale in the newspapers for exorbitant amounts of money while at the same time those who wanted to use taxis were stranded in town or had to pay ridiculous amounts of money. Up to the time of the 2003 Act, certainly in my area on a Saturday night, it cost up to €70 to get out of town, a distance of only 11 miles. That was outrageous. There have been improvements over the years and a change in culture. In many ways the pendulum has swung from one end to the other in terms of supply, and finding the balance is difficult.

I have a collector's item: the report from the 1998 review, which I believe is hard to get. The review was published immediately before deregulation took place, so it did not have time to work its way through. In fact, it did not go anywhere near far enough in meeting the needs which were most definitely unmet. Several changes have taken place in recent years which have improved the position, including the establishment of the Commission for Taxi Regulation. While Mr. Ger Deering was the first taxi regulator, Ms Kathleen Doyle got a particularly bad press during her time. It was a difficult industry to change. I believe Ms Doyle received death threats during her time as taxi regulator.

I would like to hear from the Minister of State how the small hackney service will play out in practical terms. People do not always understand the difference between private and public hire. To ensure people are vigilant about an industry it is important that they understand the consumer rights end of it. The practical side is important.

There are two sides to the industry. Obviously there must be an assurance of sufficiency of supply and public safety - not just from the point of view of the vehicle but also with regard to the person driving the vehicle. I am aware that issue is dealt with in the Bill. It is important also to ensure the fleet is sufficient to meet all needs, including those of people with disabilities. The 1998 report recommended that all new vehicles entering the fleet be wheelchair-accessible and there was also a measure from the Revenue Commissioners in that regard. Sometimes there are complaints from people with disabilities that a vehicle is not available to them in their area, so it is important to examine how that can be delivered in practice.

On the industry side, there is no doubt it is difficult for drivers to earn a living. There is cause for concern where drivers are working long hours and putting themselves and passengers at risk. Clearly, the number of drivers in the industry is an issue. Some of those who have dropped out of the industry have emigrated as they found it was impossible to earn a living. For people who could not get a job, it was a kind of self-employment they could try if they owned a car. In many cases they got out of it because it is so difficult to earn a living. I echo the points made in regard to the area around Heuston Station. Gardaí are present there on a daily basis. That is understandable, as there is a need to keep the QBC clear, but the physical constraint on the area of the taxi rank is an issue. This is not the only location where that happens, but it is a high-profile one.

An issue that was considered at the time was that of taxi ranks. I do not think local authorities around the country have done enough. Often they see their remit as the provision of roads and footpaths but not the provision of transportation. Taxis must be included in that provision. There is no reason provision cannot be made for taxi ranks at different times - for example, late at night and at weekends - and at private locations such as pubs and discos. The main issue is to get people home safely and it is easier to police the streets if there are not large numbers of people congregating. There are benefits other than the efficient conveyance of people to their destinations.

It is fair and right that a proper vetting system be in place for those driving vehicles. If a person has a criminal conviction that puts the public at risk, that should be legislated for. I would be open to some of the points made by others about political prisoners under the Good Friday Agreement but, first and foremost, there must be a safe environment for passengers.

I have had an interest in this area for many years and I keep an eye on what is happing locally. My constituency is very close to Dublin. An issue about which I have had to complain to the NTA over the years is that of drivers with a "D" on the roof sign who stray into and ply for hire in north Kildare, particularly late at night or at weekends when a disco or a social event is taking place and they realise there is a demand for taxis. Some of the behaviour is unacceptable, and I am not just talking about people shouting or trying to get in ahead of somebody else. Sometimes it is downright dangerous, and it has been difficult to get checks done. I note in the Bill that the intention is that there will be a different regime of oversight. There are things one could not stand over. I have made complaints to the NTA and although it has taken some time to get a response, it has sorted out the problem to some extent.

On occasion I have got into a vehicle that I was sure could not have passed an NCT in the past five years and wondered whether it would be able get to its destination. It is important that the public is vigilant in that regard. Technology has changed things hugely. The idea of CCTV is a good one and the images one gets from CCTV cameras are far superior to those from the past. However, I would always be concerned about who would use them.

That footage would be important and there must be some sort of control over that data under the Data Protection Act.

The Hailo app has been a good initiative and such smartphone applications, where commission is charged on the text message or the fare, have removed the need for a radio in the cab, giving some freedom to drivers.

The driver check initiative from the National Transport Authority is worthwhile and could possibly be expanded. Deputy Collins mentioned the concept of the Knowledge in London, and I have been in situations in which I know the driver has taken me well out of my way. It is important that people remove the rogue operators by making complaints where they are merited. We want to keep the good drivers in the industry and there is nothing wrong in complaining about overcharging.

In the past ten years in the greater Dublin area, the Nitelink service has been incredibly important. We must look at this as a total operation. It is not just about a taxi and hackney service, because sometimes a bus service could also be provided. Whatever meets people's needs must be examined.

Enforcement is very important, on everything from vehicle quality to driver fitness and social welfare and Revenue checks. These are all valid to ensure those in the system are compliant. There will be some amendments on Committee Stage, but in general this Bill moves in the right direction. The movement to acknowledge it has been progressive in the past 15 years, and different Governments have done things to improve the industry. This Bill will move the industry forward in a welcome direction.

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