Mullingar reps were among the scores of angry taxi drivers who descended on Tullamore on Wednesday to hand in a letter to the Taoiseach’s constituency office, demanding action on the capping of licences.
Chairman of the Border Midland West Taxi Federation Association Andrew O’Mahony says many taxi drivers are being forced to draw social welfare because they can no longer make a living.
“Basically what’s in the letter is asking Mr Cowen at this eleventh hour to come to grips with the fact the taxi industry is crippling all across the country.”
Mullingar’s John Doyle said the relatively small show was typical of the fact that many people have to work to earn their living and can’t afford to miss out when they’re earning less than €35 per day.
“If people are only getting €28, €29, €30 a day, you can’t blame them.”
However, he was pleased with the support from across the country; Kilkenny, Cork, and Sligo were represented but he is hoping for bigger numbers in Trim.
Taxi drivers from all corners of the country joined the lunchtime march through the town with the same clear message.
“We’re not making our wages. We’re not getting any satisfaction. That’s why we’re showing up here today.”
Edward Lynch from Cork says he earned €4,500 less than the average industrial wage in 2007. “Full-time taxi drivers are finding it very difficult to make a living wage, never mind finance a public service industry.”
The only woman at the protest was Mullingar’s Sharon Dowling who admitted, “I’m here because I can’t earn a living”.
“I go home sometimes with €27 in my pocket after a full day’s work,” and that day begins just after nine and might not finish before 8pm.
“You could be sitting an hour, two hours between each job. Even when customers get into the car, you’re down because you’ve been sitting in the car so long.”
She says most drivers are in the job because they like dealing with the public but it’s hard to give the service they’d like because the situation is taking its toll.
She says it’s time for someone to take control of the situation, that it’s not good enough for the regulator to say that she can’t do anything and that it’s up to the Minister for Transport to take action.
“The regulator has to stop passing the buck. Someone has to put a cap on the licences because there’s no work out there.”
