Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I note that the Taoiseach is chairing a special meeting of the Croke Park implementation body today. I wish him well in his endeavours to effect change and savings through the Croke Park process. I call on all the stakeholders involved to make a genuine effort to find savings and to pull on the jersey of recovery. The only way the process can work is if all parties buy into it. There are mechanisms in the Croke Park agreement to ensure that further savings can be achieved and at a faster pace.

I agree with previous speakers that we need to do something about the taxi industry. To be fair, the industry was deregulated in 2000 and the taxi unions were at fault for that because they would not negotiate. All proposals made by government were knocked on the head by the taxi unions. The current situation is completely out of control. It is a desperate experience to stand on Dawson Street on any night of the week - not just on a Saturday night - and see the place littered with taxis. Similarly, Harcourt Street is closed off because it is jammed with taxis. We need to do something about the matter. We need a professional taxi industry in the city and country. The bottom line is that we need to portray ourselves as professional. I hope we will have a significant surge in tourist numbers next year for The Gathering and we must ensure that they have a pleasant experience when they get into a taxi. We need to ensure that if they are going to the Davenport Hotel they do not end up on Dawson Street instead. That is what is happening at present. Taxi drivers need to be professionally trained. We need to ensure that they have a proper induction system that enables them to know the city inside out and upside down before they accept fares.