Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta O'Rourke mar gheall ar an rún atá os comhair na Dála agus mar gheall ar an ábhar uafásach tábhachtach seo a chur faoi bhráid na Dála. The taxi driver sector has suffered chronic neglect and abandonment over the past number of years. It has been forgotten about, mistreated and failed by elected representatives. There is no justification or explanation for that Government failure of a sector that is important to society and the economy.

It is not just the taxi sector where the Government shows an aversion to helping. A number of sectors are affected, including the childcare sector, the pub trade, which has got much of the blame for Covid, and trainee nurses throughout the pandemic. It leads me to ask a number of questions. Are there sectors in Irish society that have great influence with the powers-that-be and the media? Are there other sectors in Irish society that because of income, class, or whatever, do not have the necessary influence, pull and ability to communicate and have their voices heard by the Government? It is dangerous if that is the case because if the Government ignores a sector of Irish society that is massively suffering and forgets about them, it is guaranteed that the issue will fester and become more difficult to deal with in the long run. Indeed, it is the Government's inaction that led to the massive strike and protest that was held yesterday.

Thousands of drivers took to the streets because a sector with 22,000 jobs is at stake. Each of those 22,000 jobs has a family, children and a household behind it. Those incomes have been so devastated that these individual taxi drivers were forced to take to the streets yesterday. There has been an incredible level of unity within that sector. The National Private Hire and Taxi Association, the Irish Taxi Drivers Federation, the Taxi Alliance of Ireland and Tiománaí Tacsaí na hÉireann were on the streets yesterday. That level of unity and sense of purpose among taxi drivers shows that they mean business.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, demand for taxi services in this State has collapsed, dropping almost 70%.

That is a devastating reduction within any market and a devastating reduction in incomes. Several taxi drivers I spoke to said they have barely been able to afford to keep their vehicle on the road never mind take in an income necessary to deal with their families. Is it possible that particular families could have their conversation outside of the Chamber?

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