THE MINISTER FOR Public Transport wants to tackle the “laissez faire” attitude to the taxi industry, as well as those who can drive them.
Alan Kelly told TheJournal.ie that some taxi drivers who hold licences should never have been granted them in the first place.
“There are people driving taxis in this city, and in other cities who shouldn’t be driving taxis. People with serious convictions.
“People may find that amazing, but it’s true. They shouldn’t have got their licences and sometimes they would go to court and argue that they should be allowed to drive a taxi to make a living.
I don’t believe that. I don’t think peoples’ safety should be jeopardised.
Kelly points to legislation brought in this year that disbars anyone with a serious conviction from holding a taxi licence.
(TheJournal.ie/YouTube)
“The industry as it compared to two years ago is unrecognisable.”
Deregulation
The deregulation of the industry led to a flood of new drivers, something Kelly says was handled in a “laissez faire” attitude.
“There was a number of years where there was a laissez faire attitude towards the industry.
“Too many people got licences and the industry was opened up in way that ignored the fact that you still need regulatory controls in a deregulated industry.”
He says that the ‘knowledge test’ for drivers is to become stricter, as are the terms of renting out licences.
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