Taxi drivers in two-hour protest at Dublin airport over inspection

PASSENGERS ARRIVING at Dublin airport early yesterday morning were without taxi services for over two hours because of an unplanned strike by drivers.

The protest began when gardaí and members of the Commission for Taxi Regulation started to inspect taxis waiting at the airport.

The manner in which the examination took place upset drivers, Tommy Gorman, president of the National Taxi Drivers Union, said yesterday.

"It caused mayhem," said Mr Gorman. "They began to inspect taxis as they left the holding area to pick up passengers from the terminal.

"This was preventing them from going to work . . . They should have started inspections at the beginning of the rank where cars fed in. Drivers lost out on money and the whole airport was in disarray."

The decision to temporarily withdraw taxi services was described as "regrettable and wholly unwarranted" by the Commission for Taxi Regulation.

Gardaí said as a result of the joint licensing inspection "a large number of taxi drivers decided not to submit their vehicles for inspection and withdrew their services".

Mr Gorman said the inspections came after concerns were raised by the taxi union about cloning of taxi plates and taxi licences.

The union said it was concerned about the danger to the public in cars operating illegally, but said this was not a problem at Dublin airport.

Mr Gorman was unhappy that the union was not informed of the inspections in advance so it could have had representatives at the airport.

"We have a good relationship with the regulator, so surely they should have said they were going to do this." However, according to the commission, the joint inspection was part of the scheme of "regular enforcement on a national basis" which checks on taxi licences, meters and the display of driver identity.

"This activity is aimed at ensuring that all members of the industry adhere to certain minimum standards, as well as consumer protection," the commission said in a statement.

The taxi union said it hoped to have a meeting with the regulator, gardaí and other interested parties over the next two days.