Taxi-drivers were in militant form as they protested at central points around Dublin city yesterday.
"We will stay as long as it takes," said one driver who had been at Dublin Airport since 5.30 a.m. "We have no other choice." Several drivers protesting at the Civic Offices warned that Fianna Fail and the PDs would feel the impact of deregulation in the next election.
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, Minister of State Mr Bobby Molloy and the media bore the brunt of taxi-driver criticism.
They accused the media of blaming only taxi-drivers for Dublin's transport problem when the lack of buses and trains was the main cause.
Asked if taxi-drivers should have anticipated the deregulation, driver Mr Jim Ryan said the Government's behaviour gave him and his colleagues a "legitimate expectation" that licences would hold their value.
He pointed to the £15,000 fee for a wheelchair-accessible licence and said if the Government was charging this fee for a licence, then how could people anticipate deregulation. He also pointed out that the Government charged a £3,000 fee in cases where a licence was being transferred.
"This was admitting that the licences had an inherent value and created further legitimate expectation," he said.
Mr Karl Shannon has spent the past five years as a "cosy", paying £200 a week to a licence-owner for the use of his taxi. He expected to get a licence under the Dublin Taxi Forum plan.
"I've just bought a house and I'm getting married soon. Now what? All I want to do is make a living," he said.
A Limerick taxi-driver, who did not want to be named, said he had bought his plate for £51,000, 18 months ago. "Now the Government has ruined it," he said. "There are 70 cars up from Limerick and we will stay here for as long as it takes. What have we to go back to?"
Husband and wife Maria and Chris O'Reilly remortgaged their home to buy their wheelchair-accessible car and licence. Yesterday, Ms O'Reilly said she expected her husband would be forced to take up another job while she would continue to drive. She said the tax relief would make no difference to drivers as they would not be making enough money to receive it. Mr Michael McAuley referred to one young driver who had loans of £250,000 between his house, car and taxi licence.
"He begged us not to go out on strike because he couldn't afford to lose a day," he said.
"We're definitely in it for the long haul," said Mr Vincent Conway. "Would anyone else accept it if the Minister said "we are going to halve your wages and bring in twice as many people to do your job?' " he said.
While some passengers had sympathy for the taxi-drivers at Dublin Airport, most people who spoke to The Irish Times were annoyed at the disruption.
"I can understand why they are protesting," said Ms Pat Richardson, from Bournemouth, who had pushed a trolley from the long-term car park. "But my husband has had three heart attacks and I hope this doesn't bring on another one."
Ms Sandra Nicholls said: "These taxi-drivers have cost us money." She and other family members missed their Ryanair flight to Gatwick airport and had to pay an additional £125 to get the next flight. The group had left Ballyjamesduff in Cavan with plenty of time to spare but by the time they got through the traffic to drop back their hired car, the flight had closed. "I have to say we weren't treated very well by Ryanair. They acted as though it was all our fault that we were late," Ms Nicholls said.
Mr Richard Moldanado from California was more relaxed about the delays. "It's good to see democracy at its finest. There's no violence out there," he said. "It's a free country and everyone has a right to protest."
Mr Dougie Forbes from Edinburgh left nothing to chance by arriving at the airport with almost six hours to spare. "It's better to be stuck at the airport than in Dublin," he said. Mr Forbes said the taxi-drivers had a right to protest but he said they would lose all sympathy if they continued to disrupt the public.
"They are totally wrong," said another man, struggling to the terminal with his large suitcase which had just lost a wheel. His companion said she "had absolutely no sympathy for them".
