Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the withdrawal of the crazy suggestion, which seems to have come from the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, of removing taxi drivers from bus lanes. We need more than vague commitments. We need very specific commitments. Subsidies have gone to other industries that have lost 20% or 30% of turnover. Taxi drivers have lost 40% or 50% of turnover. The more drivers return to work, the more turnover will decrease, especially if there are more restrictions. As long as Covid-19 exists and restrictions apply, there will not be a viable living for taxi drivers by a margin of at least 50%. They also face ongoing costs of about €1,000 a month, which they cannot cover. They have been clocking up debts over the past six months.

If other industries rightly received grants and income subsidies, those should be extended to taxi drivers and to another group I have mentioned repeatedly and which is also holding a protest tomorrow, namely, the live music, arts and entertainment sector. Those workers need the same thing. We need those commitments. It is madness to continue to issue taxi licences at the moment when there is not nearly enough work for the 22,000 drivers who already hold one. I ask the Taoiseach please to get a move on. Taxi drivers need help or their industry and their livelihoods will be utterly destroyed. They are desperate and they are appealing for urgent action.

See this speech in context