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

I would like there to be 26,000 taxis because one of the things I want to do is switch the way our cities work. That is going to take time, support from this House, budgets and funding. It will also have to get through the planning system. One of the big changes coming to our cities is bus corridors and BusConnects schemes that will radically transform the city and give taxis a huge advantage in being able to get around cities quickly. There are all sorts of rumours that we are going to stop taxis doing this, that and the other but it is all nonsense. The key thing is reallocating space and reimagining how our cities work and taxis, as a public transport service, will have a huge role to play as part of that. I foresee an expansion in our taxi fleet.

Yes, it has been a tough time. This has been a terrible crisis for many different sectors and people and the Government has put €38 billion into a variety of different supports for every industry in every way. Specifically in the taxi sector, we tried to provide that extra bit of flexibility by allowing taxi drivers to get the PUP while also earning an income and getting their costs covered. It has not been easy as there were not any fares. The best way back is to get the fares going and that is starting to happen. I hear the numbers are starting to rise quite significantly.

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