Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have very little to repeat, except to say there is no need for this in legislation. The market has been fully liberalised, as has already been stated. I can understand and appreciate the free marketeer approach. There must be a balance between a laissez-faire approach to regulation, where one believes that all forms of regulation are bad, and establishing a body that can ensure that standards of safety, service provision and everything else, are maintained. I do not get that sense of balance from Senator Barrett in many of his contributions today on the taxi industry. This industry needs to change fundamentally. I am a huge supporter of the taxi industry. Many people in it cannot make a living. They need to be supported with regard to standards and to have effective legislation behind that. While the free marketeer approach, with which Senator Barrett is very much in tune, is something I understand and appreciate, to go so far with a laissez-faire approach as not to require certain standards through regulation is something I cannot accept. Given the country's current environment, we should have learnt that lesson.