Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State knows that taxi drivers have been some of the hardest hit workers by this pandemic. They received little support from the Government, despite us hearing that the industry is on its knees. There is no work for taxi drivers. This is down to the fact that we have no concerts or football matches, people are working from home, and few people are going out socialising.

Throughout the pandemic, taxi drivers have shown that they are essential workers. They dropped our nurses and doctors to work and took patients to hospital. They made sure that thousands of retail workers got to work in order that we could have food on our tables. All they are asking for is some fairness.

Yesterday, I got an email from a single mother who is a taxi driver but has not been working since March. She is struggling to make ends meet. In her email she told me how she is finding it impossible to manage and how she has to borrow from friends and family to pay her bills. Just last week, she was told by the Department that her pandemic unemployment payment was to be cut. How will this woman manage? This is just one example of families who are put to the pin of their collars. There are thousands of other examples of taxi drivers.

Those taxi drivers over 66 are excluded from the Covid payment. These drivers are at high risk and they have been locked out of pandemic supports. Why? What taxi drivers need from the Minister of State is a package of financial supports which will give them a break and to keep our taxis running.

Many drivers in my constituency will be watching this debate. They are waiting and hoping to see that the Government will act. They are worried how they will pay their mortgages and their car loans. What they need to hear today from the Minister of State is that he understands the financial stress they are under and that the Government will support them.

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