Sir, - Garret FitzGerald (September 26th) is not correct in stating that there was no one representing consumer interests on the Dublin Taxi Forum. In fact there were two representatives nominated by the consultative panel of the DTO to represent business and consumer interests: Tom Coffey of the City Centre Business Association and myself.
The report recommended the taxi fleet be increased to 3,200 by the end of 2002 but that a system of measuring significant unmet demand throughout the taxi meter area, not just in the city centre, be devised by the local authorities. It is to misread the report to say the 800 new plates proposed (all of which are to be wheelchair accessible) are necessarily to be introduced at the rate of 200 per year. There is also a strong recommendation for the expansion of late night public transport services, which is a critical consumer issue.
I think it would be a mistake to dismiss the Taxi Forum Report as I feel Dr FitzGerald does, and I would hope the local authorities would see it as a serious attempt to address this urgent matter. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr Catherine Murphy,
Leixlip,
Co Kildare.