Sir, - The public has welcomed the announcement by the Junior Environment Minister, Bobby Molloy, that we can expect an extra 3,100 taxis on our streets before the end of January 2000. The sentiment is not shared by existing 2,700 licence holders. The licence holders' attitude is being misunderstood by the public as, contrary to popular belief, the majority of plate holders recognise the inadequacy of the present service and would therefore welcome the introduction of new licences. It is the manner in which this is being done which is causing offence.
The proposal is that 2,600 ordinary licences be issued at a cost of £2,500 each and 500 wheelchair licences at a cost of £500 each, with all existing plate holders being offered first refusal. This sounds well in theory but consider some of the following:
Some existing plate-holders have borrowed up to £80,000 (often using their houses as collateral) to buy their plates. Under Mr Molloy's proposal their plate will now have a value of £2,500. To avail of the second plate they will have to borrow more to buy the second plate and a second car. Plates cannot be bought without having a car and - contrary to what some sections of the public may think - most taxi-owners are not particularly well off.
Dublin Corporation has issued about 500 wheelchair licences this year at a cost of £15,000 each but under Mr Molloy's proposal these plates are now worth only £500. The holders of these licences also had to borrow up to £30,000 to purchase the appropriate vehicle. Again, these plate-holders would have to borrow more to buy the second plate and a second car.
Many older drivers may not have made any pension provision, choosing instead to rely on either selling or renting out their plates. Under Mr Molloy's proposal, renting would not be an option and selling would leave them with a retirement sum of £2,500.
Your Editorial of December 2nd refers to the "kind of service the public needs and that citizens of every other EU Capital take for granted". In most other EU capitals, tube, rail and bus service are highly developed and run late into the night. Taxi services in these cities complement heavy investment in public transport systems. Dublin's public transport is a disgrace. Conditions on the DART more than amply bear out my argument. It is grossly unfair that taxi drivers should be made the whipping boys for decades of political neglect of Dublin's public transport.
I believe that the only equitable way of dealing with this issue - which the media invariably treat in a one-sided manner without even considering the real economics of the taxi trade - is for the Government to set up an all-party committee of inquiry to investigate the trade in depth and report back to the Oireachtas as quickly as possible. It would accept submissions from all interested parties including members of the public. Only then when a balanced view is taken of this contentious issue will a lasting solution be found. - Yours, etc.,
Sinead Monahan, Gledswood Park, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14.