The violent death of a taxi driver in Louth is “shocking but not surprising” as assaults and attacks of a similar nature continue to increase, say taxi unions.
National Private Hire & Taxi Association general secretary Christy Humphries extended his condolences to the family of Martin Mulligan (53), who was found dead on an isolated road outside Dundalk early on Monday, and said drivers have become increasingly vulnerable.
“Attacks are on the increase and there are an awful lot of attacks that go unreported,” he said, adding that the “fear” of such an occurrence is heightened in rural areas where drivers may be cut off from immediate help.
“Every taxi driver in Ireland is vulnerable to this, it’s terrible because there’s no security, there’s nothing there for you.
“The problem you have with the industry that we’re in is that you just can’t turn down a job. If I refuse to take someone for my own reasons, and I don’t tell the NTA of my reasons, I’m liable to get a fine,” said Mr Humphries.
Taxi driver representative bodies last year called for stricter sentencing for assailants following a spate of high-profile attacks in the Dublin area that included beatings and hijackings.
Gardaí have advised drivers to pick up customers in well-lit and well-populated areas, to avoid getting out of their vehicle in isolated areas and to prearrange a code word with colleagues in case of an attack.
Stabbed
Speaking to
The Irish Times,
one driver at a rank in Dublin said he contracted hepatitis after being stabbed while on duty, and was threatened with a knife on a separate occasion.
Others admitted to avoiding certain areas or types of people in the hope of staying away from trouble.
Driver Seán O’Shaughnessy said deterrents such as in-car cameras are not effective in preventing crime.
“Anybody who’s willing to get in and stab a taxi driver . . . is not going to give a toss whether there’s CCTV in the car or not,” he said.
“It’s always been there at the lower level. People don’t report it as much now because they see it as part of the job, unfortunately.”
Regular complaints
Mr Humphries said his organisation has had to deal with regular complaints regarding violent behaviour exhibited by passengers. Jerry Brennan of the Irish Taxi Drivers Federation said it is a wider societal problem not exclusive to public service vehicle operators.
“We try and avoid publicity on it [but] when you’re alone in a car with somebody or with people and you’re out at two or three in the morning it is very easy for them to take money from you, stick a knife in the back of your neck or hold it against you,” he said.
“It’s like any job – you couldn’t just be thinking of the worst aspects of everything all the time. It would be like a painter who wouldn’t go up a ladder in case they’ll fall off,” said Mr Brennan, adding that Dundalk and its environs are not viewed as a particularly problematic area within his profession.