Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is right and that is a real difficulty but we have done everything to try to support the taxi industry. In the relevant negotiations, the Minister for Social Protection made an exception by allowing people in this industry to have an income while on the PUP, and also to cover the expenses. I absolutely recognise that that does not apply to people above a certain age limit but unfortunately for the Department of Social Protection, it could not go to the step of having different age limits for different sectors availing of the PUP.

On another of the Deputy's points, it is slightly infuriating that people are out there saying taxis will be banned from the bus corridors. They are just scaring people, stirring up trouble but not actually telling the truth. That was never announced, never planned and never considered. The approach has always been to allow taxis in the bus lanes. If that is a fear that is out there, let us scotch it because it is an unnecessary added fear in what is a fearful enough time for people.

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