The Millennium Committee chairman, Mr Seamus Brennan TD, is making a last-ditch effort to encourage taxi-drivers to work on New Year's Eve in the capital.
The Minister of State and Government Chief Whip has met officials from Dublin's four local authorities to discuss whether a special millennium fare structure could be introduced to prevent a large-scale taxi boycott of the city.
The National Taxi Drivers' Union has predicted that less than one-third of its members will turn up for work in Dublin on New Year's Eve, due to the absence of any bonuses or special pay offer.
The union spokesman, Mr Tommy Gorman, said: "Dublin is the one city in Ireland where drivers are getting nothing extra. Our members are very angry over this and we can't force them to work."
Local authorities in Cork, Galway and Limerick have granted taxi-drivers in their jurisdictions extra charges of between £3 and £5 per journey over the millennium holiday.
A Government spokesman said: "The Minister is anxious to regularise the situation so that there is a special tariff in Dublin for the night. Otherwise taxi-drivers might put on a fee themselves which could vary considerably."
The spokesman said the taxi fares committee, drawn from the four local authorities, may need to convene a meeting to approve the initiative. "We're hoping there will be some progress shortly. An opportunity is still there and there is goodwill on both sides to sort this out."
For those relying on public transport, Dublin Bus will operate its Nitelink service on 16 routes until 2.30 a.m. on New Year's Day, while special DART trains will leave Pearse Station northbound and southbound at 12.45 a.m. and 1 a.m.
Tickets for these trains cost £2.50 and must be purchased in advance from the Pearse Station booking office.
