Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Taxi drivers feel that when it comes to transport issues, they are last on the agenda and the last group to be listened to and heard. They felt like that again. I welcome that they can now apply for the PUP, though as Deputy Duncan Smith said, there seem to be difficulties in practice. I am not even sure the Government would have done that except for pressure from taxi drivers, and indeed the Opposition, to ensure they got the PUP.

More than that is needed. As has been said, the late night sector is crucial because bringing people home from night clubs and social events is a large portion of their business. The PUP on its own is not enough without being coupled with the regulatory reforms needed to help them weather this loss of business. Overhead costs have remained essentially the same and the assistance from the Government has been totally inadequate. If action is not taken, there will be fewer taxis on our roads. There does not seem to be a coherent plan to ensure taxi drivers can stay viable and on the road.

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