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A SINN FÉIN TD has criticised the fact taxi drivers have to display decals on the side of their cars, saying the signs act as a magnet for thieves.
Dessie Ellis raised the issue with Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe in the Dáil recently.
Rules introduced in 2013 mean that drivers run the risk of being fined if they don’t have decals on the side of their car.
Ellis said the signs were “hailed as a security measure to stamp out rogue taxis operating without a proper licence and to give confidence to passengers, but they have done neither”.
“It is important that prospective customers can tell that a car driving by is a taxi for hire, but a taxi driver cannot now use their car in any private circumstance without people assuming that they are plying for hire,” Ellis said.
“In the past, taxi drivers were able to remove their signage and place it in the boot or elsewhere and drive their car on their day off or on holidays as a private car. They were able to park up in towns or at their home and not be seen from a distance to be a taxi. To some, this might not seem important but for those who make their living as a taxi driver it is crucial for safety and comfort,” the Dublin North–West TD told the Dáil.
Donohoe said taxi regulations are a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA), noting: “As such I have no function in this matter.”
The minister pointed out that the taxi signage riles make it “more difficult for vehicles to operate illegally as taxis.”
“As the door signage is semi-permanent, the vehicle is still identifiable as a purported taxi even when the roof sign is removed, which was not the case previously,” he said.
A spokesperson for the NTA said the authority “has no records to substantiate crime arising from taxi identification by prescribed branding or tamper proof discs”.
Taxi drivers
David McGuinness of Tiomanaí Tacsaí na hÉireann (TTnH) said the group brought the issue to the attention of then junior transport minister Alan Kelly about a year ago.
McGuinness said there has been “a huge increase” in taxi break-ins recently. He said this isn’t entirely down to decals, but claimed they have played a role as “our cars now are identifiable”.
He said TTnH has urged its 2,500 or so members to not leave valuables or a float in the car where possible.
TheJournal.ie stopped by the taxi rank at Stephen’s Green in Dublin city centre to find out what drivers think.
Shane Lennon told us he only got his taxi back a few days ago, after it was stolen from outside his house last month.
Enough said … It was taken because it is a taxi and it is easily-identifiable as a taxi. The meter was ripped out, the decals were ripped off, they put in a new ignition. Bits and bobs, you know.
Lennon, who has been working as a taxi driver for six years, said he doesn’t believe his car would have been stolen if it wasn’t clear it was a taxi.
“The guards were absolutely brilliant, I have to say, from start to finish,” he noted.
Lennon said his roof sign was stolen a few months ago, so he doesn’t leave it on at night anymore.
“It’s just one of those things. There are scumbags out robbing houses as well, they shouldn’t be doing that either.”
Karl Dowling, who has worked as a driver since 2003, said decals were meant to stop people from double-jobbing, but he claims they have failed in this regard.
The idea of the thing in the first place was to cut out all the double-jobbers, I don’t see that’s working.
He added that it costs about €80 to put on a decal and it “devalues the car”.
Another driver, who didn’t want to be named, said a friend of his was targetted by a gang of thieves at his house last week. He said a group of men tried to break into his friend’s taxi but ran off when he called the gardaí.
He too thinks taxis are more of a target than other cars.
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Great achievements and still so young but leaving his partner and kid to party and live the Hollywood life is unfortunately where he will never grace the echelons of Cillian Murphy who is all class
I’m sorry but his acting is pretty similar no matter the character, so his acting register must improve or….I really don’t know why there is a buzz about him, maybe his appearance?
@Chris: oh disagree. His performance in Saltburn is show stealing. Very subtle and beautiful. Yes, his looks are distinctive. All the greats were.
@NoelDublin: yea I loved all the various accents he was doing throughout the film lol
Jeez the Irish on here doing what the Irish are good at… slating their own . Shameful comments..
@Lapland: World capital of begrudgery. It’s why we have no services or infrastructure.
Barry Keoghan is an amazing talent.. Saltburn is a story of manipulation told in a different way.. Barry performance is out of this world and I wish him the very best, so proud to see this young man carve his way to the very top in the film industry.. as for his personal life it’s none of anyone’s business
And he got his lad out
It’s good to see that the aul Irish begrudgery is alive and well this morning. A young man who’s had a tough upbringing has made it on the world stage and most on here just want to put him down. But wait, the Brits try to claim him as one of their own? The very same begrudgers will he back on here blowing a gasket over that!!
@Colin Howard: The Brits didn’t try to claim them as their own . GQ magazine is American . Its offices are in New York and its own by an American . An article written in a rag says he is British and every one gets upset .
@Jack Moss: They didn’t even say he was British, they referred to him as ‘one of our greatest’ actors, as in the world. If it was specific to nationality then they’d have been calling him American as it was the American GQ article lifted.
good for him. living the dream.
Here am i the only one that thought saltburn was a load of…. you know what i want to say. Nonsense
I know that a few years ago while in Galway filming the Inisherin film he was out on the town with his brother and got a couple of clouts off said brother. He was all over the media telling us how he was attacked in Galway and was terrified for his life. Award winner alright!
4 out of10. Knew the cat question. Thought he looked like the joker and guessed the other two.
Got a break in life and making the most of it. He’s flavour of the month( to be crass). First and only pupil from the Colin Farrell school of acting. He’s improving all the time. Last role in salt burn was a hard watch but got there in the end. Hopefully he realises it and works to develop the potential. Leave him to it and see what happens. “ buy Irish”
Ah he’s a cheeky little bollix.
7 / 10
Good actor hope he keeps his feet on the ground
@nollaig o cellaigh: Apparently not off to a good start in that regard. Dumped his girlfriend and child.
Never heard of him so guess “Not a lot” would be the answer.
no artikel over the journoz killed in kiev?!!.. navalny le traître..
Made up here that he cut his teeth in Fair City
Typical of Irish begrudgery. Knocking our own .. Didn’t he get his lad out??
Great to see the lad doing so well
He’s NOT BRITISH …..
FFS !!! When will our “so called” nearest neighbours ever learn to STOP laying claim to things that AREN’T theirs ……
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