Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Early on in this crisis, I held a Zoom meeting with well over 70 taxi drivers. They were really upset and concerned about their industry. Like many Deputies, I have received hundreds of emails and calls from taxi drivers since the beginning of the pandemic. They feel the taxi industry has been overlooked by the Government. It is now imperative that the Government commit to a financial package to get drivers back to work. As we see from the statistics, many drivers are in the older age group. They may be over 70, and some are over 80, and have no income other than their taxi driver income and pension. A financial package should include a temporary weekly subsidy similar to the wage subsidy given to employees. Grants need to be made available for fixed costs and modifications to cars to protect the driver and passengers. Along with this, licence renewal should be free of charge.

We take a taxi, a public service vehicle, to get from A to B. I learned from talking to many taxi drivers yesterday that they are really concerned about the proposals they have heard regarding the quality bus corridors and the banning of taxis from using them. Many are puzzled, arguing that since a taxi is called a public service vehicle and taxi drivers have public service licences, they should be allowed to use the bus lanes, as they currently do.

Drivers are really concerned about the lack of engagement from representative bodies regarding consultation on traffic and the failure to plan access at major events. This needs to be addressed.

The small public service vehicle, SPSV, suitability test is in place to ensure all public vehicles are up to standard. It should be based on the mechanical performance and safety of the vehicle, not the age. An extension of one to two years would lift the financial burden on a driver imposed by his or her having to replace an end-of-life taxi that is in perfect working order. Many taxi drivers are saying the current period is not long enough and does not give an opportunity. Most drivers have lost a good six months of income. Even those who are back working now say they are really struggling to earn a wage every week.

A national transport forum allowing all bodies that use the public roads to have a positive input regarding the transport system of the State now needs to be established. I urge Members to support this motion.

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