Taxi council aims to make industry more professional

The National Taxi Council, a newly created advisory body aimed at making the industry more professional and customer-friendly, will meet for the first time today.

The 18-member body, chaired by former Garda Commissioner Mr Pat Byrne, will make recommendations relating to standards, entry criteria and codes of practices for the State's 14,000 taxi drivers.

The membership of the council is drawn from taxi, hackney and limousine industry representative groups, as well as local authorities, consumer, disability, tourism and business interests.

The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, who has described the unregulated taxi industry as a "jungle", described today's development as a "significant step" on the way to making the taxi industry more professional.

Among the first issues the council is likely to discuss is minimum standards for the age and condition of taxis, dress codes for drivers and whether all taxis should have a uniform colour.

There has also been some disquiet over the lack of entry criteria for new drivers, with taxi representative groups claiming that many people with serious criminal records have obtained taxi plates since the industry was deregulated.

The group may also make recommendations over whether part-time drivers should be allowed work in the industry. Taxi unions say many full-time drivers are finding it increasingly difficult to make a living due to the large numbers of part-time drivers available at peak periods of the week.

The group will advise the Office of the National Taxi Regulator, who is to be appointed shortly, and the Minister for Transport.

The Taxi Regulator's office will take over responsibility for the taxi industry from local authorities. The Taxi Regulation Bill was enacted earlier this year.

Mr Brennan said there has already been significant progress in making the industry more professional. A spokesman for the Minister said that, for instance, it has been mandatory for taxis to carry receipt-printing machines since earlier this month.