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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Rural taxi shortage

Summary

Deputy O'Sullivan said the shortage of taxis in west Cork was leaving young people stranded after nights out. The Taoiseach acknowledged wider taxi shortages and said he would look again at an earlier proposal to encourage more drivers.

I raise the issue of the lack of rural taxis. Every weekend, especially during the summer months, throughout west Cork, in towns such as Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bantry, Kinsale, etc., young people are out, have had a great night, have been to the restaurant, to the pub, and have been socialising. When it comes to home time, however, they are in limbo. They are stuck and they have nowhere to go because there is a complete lack of taxi services. This has been an ongoing issue for quite a while. If we do not rectify it, it will affect not just young people's ability to socialise and have a good time but also the pub trade, restaurants, etc., so we need to step in now and intervene. The Taoiseach's former party colleague and the former Minister of State, Jim Daly, who is from my constituency, had the excellent idea of ruxi, as he called it, a rural tax service whereby private individuals like Uber would be able to offer taxi services. Can we revisit that and finally sort out the issue of the lack of taxis in rural Ireland?

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

We are experiencing a lack of taxis not just in rural areas but in urban areas too, particularly at evening time. The matter is raised a lot. I am sure there is more we can do to encourage more people to get into the industry and to take up the business of becoming taxi drivers. I do not remember the exact detail of proposal of the former Minister, Mr. Daly, but I will look at it again and see if it may still have merit.

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