A new association has been suggested to campaign for the protection of taximen and to oppose the Oscar Faber report's recommendations on the deregulation of the Dublin taxi market.
About 200 taximen attended a meeting last night to decide if there was need for a third organisation to represent the sector. There is already a taxi federation and a union.
Mr Thomas Darcy, former chairman of the National Taxi Drivers' Union, organised last night's meeting along with Mr Terry Rogers. Mr Rogers said he had invested £1.2 million in the taxi business and wanted to ensure it was protected.
Representation regarding the industry had been "dormant" up to now and should be immediately addressed, Mr Darcy said. A strong democratic organisation determined to protect the interests of the drivers was needed.
He stressed that taximen had legal rights which they had not utilised and it was time they fought for these. No other sector of society had to take so much criticism and dictation, he added. The local authorities wanted a "quick fix" and to issue more licences. They were not "doomed" and they could fight the Faber report and the local authorities which wanted to deregulate their work.
At present, it was the only industry in the State that had no input into its own business.
Mr Rogers said he had £1.2 million invested in taxi plates and wanted an association that operated in the plateowners' interests.
Some speakers at the meeting were frustrated and disillusioned with the other taxi organisations. They stressed, however, that careful consideration would have to be given to ensuring that everything in the new association was efficient and workable.
All present agreed they would have to resist the Faber report's recommendation of deregulation.