Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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There is great alarm, anger and concern among taxi drivers across the country because of the moves by Uber to introduce a fixed fare system. As outlined in the question by Deputy Pa Daly earlier, he alluded to the very serious question on whether this fixed fare being brought in by Uber actually circumvents, undermines or subverts the taxi regulation legislation in this country, which is designed to protect the regulation of the taxi industry, the livelihoods of taxi drivers and the existing fare structure based on the taximeter. This is negotiated every couple of years and takes into account the need for taxi drivers to have a fair income, while taking account of their costs and so on, rather than have price competition, which can undermine their livelihoods and their incomes. The fixed fare structure Uber is trying to bring in is undermining that. It is undermining the taximeter and it means that taxi drivers would not get the fare they should get according to the meter.

Just in case customers or consumers out there might think this is somehow a good thing for them, they should bear in mind what happens when Uber gets its way. Even if people think in this case there might be some short-term benefit, in reality what Uber does everywhere is undermine the proper regulation of the taxi industry. Here we have proper regulation so you know who your taxi driver is. There is safety and accountability in terms of your taxi driver. It is somebody who is a proper, regulated taxi driver with a licence. What Uber does is try to get rid of all of that and introduce the situation where basically anybody at all can moonlight as a taxi driver and the industry and the livelihoods of taxi drivers are undermined. Once Uber has succeeded in deregulating the industry then it can jack up the fixed fares and can add in all sorts of charges. Currently there is accountability. There is a relationship between the customer and the taxi driver where the customer can see the meter and can see what he or she will be charged because what the charges will be is legally regulated. All of that potentially goes out the window once Uber gets in and prises open the market.

Taxi drivers will protest this Saturday about it, they have called for a boycott of Uber, and I think they are absolutely right. Taxi drivers should delete the Uber app and they themselves should take action to get Uber out. The Government should also intervene to stop what taxi drivers rightly believe to be an action by Uber that is undermining the regulation of the taxi industry as set out in the taxi regulation Acts and in the maximum fare order.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for raising this. Neither the Minister for Transport nor his Department are involved in the day-to-day operation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, sector. The National Transport Authority, NTA, the independent transport regulator, has responsibility for setting taxi fares under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016.

I am informed that on 3 November 2025, Uber Ireland introduced a new option on their platform providing their customers with a single maximum price for a trip before requesting. This option is referred to on the platform as the taxi fixed price. Usually, when booking a taxi with Uber or other dispatch operators, a price range of the approximate cost of the journey is shown. With the Uber taxi fixed price option, I understand that the customer is now provided with a maximum guaranteed price upfront. If the final price on the taximeter is less than the initial maximum price provided, users pay the lower price on the meter. If the final price on the taxi meter is greater than the maximum price, users pay the maximum price only.

From a legislative perspective, section 24 of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016 empowers the NTA board to make a maximum fares order, fixing the maximum fare that may be charged by the driver of a taxi for any one journey. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024, and a maximum fare review is carried out approximately every two years. The NTA has conducted these reviews since 2011. It is important to note that hackneys and limousines agree their fares in advance and do not use a meter.

The NTA's most recent fare review was undertaken between November 2023 and March 2024. During this review, the NTA took account of the most significant economic issues that were relevant to the SPSV sector, which included inflation and cost of living, fuel prices and energy supply, geopolitical uncertainty and increased public transport availability. Following this review and a public consultation on the matter, the NTA introduced the Taxi Regulation (Maximum Fares) Order 2024, which increased taxi fares by an average of 9%. This came into operation on 1 December 2024 and ensures that taxi fares continue to reflect the rising costs associated with operating a taxi in Ireland. This increase includes a special rate for the weekend peak of 12 midnight to 4.00 a.m. on Friday night into Saturday morning and Saturday night into Sunday morning, year round, to incentivise more drivers to service the night-time economy. This followed on from the October 2022 order in which a 12% increase on fares was introduced.

As set out in the legislation, charging more than the maximum fare can lead to a prosecution. However, charging below the maximum fare is permitted. The Minister understands that the Uber fixed price offer does not breach the maximum fare regulatory provisions for taxis or constitute an offence associated with the misuse of taximeters. SPSV operators are self-employed and may decide whether or not to sign-up with a licensed dispatch operator, such as Uber. They are not obliged to be affiliated with any dispatch operator. Where they choose to do so, taxi drivers are free to contract with a dispatch operator of their choice. Neither the Minister nor the NTA are parties to the commercial or contractual arrangements between SPSV drivers and their dispatch operators. Accordingly, the Department and the NTA have no role in the approval of such matters.

There is a fixed payment offence associated with the misuse of taximeters set out by the NTA in the Small Public Service Vehicle (Fixed Payment Offences and Driver Licence Period) Regulations 2022.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The point is, and the Minister of State is absolutely right, that taxi drivers can do that and many now are signed up with Uber, but they have recognised the threat that Uber represents for the industry and Uber's desire ultimately to try and deregulate the entire industry and do away with it as an industry, and undermine the livelihoods in this country of about 20,000 taxi drivers. Many would have signed up probably not knowing what the implications were of signing up with Uber. This is why they are now calling for a boycott and for the deletion of the Uber app.

From the point of view of the Government, we have a regulated industry. I believe that Ireland supported Catalonia in a legal case about establishing the right of countries to regulate their own taxi industry. That was the Government responding to pressure from taxi drivers to protect the taxi industry as a key part of our public transport system and to protect the livelihoods of taxi drivers.

Companies such as Uber and others, with Uber leading the charge, want to create downward price competition, which will undermine the livelihoods of taxi drivers. They should not be allowed to do it. There may be a misconception that somehow the customer is going to benefit from this but they will be sorry in the medium-to-long-term because once Uber gets in, destroys the livelihoods of ordinary taxi drivers and deregulates the industry, it can then jack up the fixed prices to whatever it wants. What we will actually get it is dynamic pricing going upwards in many cases. Taxi drivers would like to see the Government enforce its own legislation to protect the regulation of the industry, which Uber is trying to undermine.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As I mentioned in my opening statement, the regulation of the SPSV industry, including the setting of fares, is a matter for the independent transport regulator. It is also important to say that taxi fixed price is a new trip option recently introduced by Uber in Ireland, whereby passengers see a single maximum price for a trip before requesting it. I understand the Uber fixed price is also available in other jurisdictions in Europe. How it works is that a price is displayed in advance showing the maximum fare for a ride, and the user pays the lower of the metre fare or the maximum price fare. It is set out in the legislation that charges in excess of the maximum fare can lead to prosecution, although charging below the maximum fare is permitted. This is probably the kernel of the problem. If it is underpricing, it means it is pricing other people out of the market. This is something we can go back to and look at from the point of view of the Department and speak to the NTA about it.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is undermining the meter.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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It is but I do not think that whatever is being done at present is breaching regulations. It is using the pricing structures to bring down the price a bit, which customers will think is great but in the long term we need to have a sustainable taxi industry. This is why we set increases through the regulator, so that people can make a living from it. Being a taxi driver is not the easiest job in the world. The big issue is the dispatch operators that drivers sign up with, what the conditions are and whether they are in breach of the regulations. I will bring this back. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is away at COP in Brazil, which is why I am taking this particular question. It is not that I am abdicating responsibility. I will bring it back to him and we will have a chat with the officials about it on behalf of Deputy Boyd Barrett.