FF taxi proposal rescinded

A Fianna Fail proposal to amend Dublin Corporation's plan to grant 200 new taxi plates to cars with disability access was rescinded…

A Fianna Fail proposal to amend Dublin Corporation's plan to grant 200 new taxi plates to cars with disability access was rescinded last night.

The City Council last month, voted in favour of a plan to grant 150 of the 200 licences immediately at a cost of' £25,000 each. Fianna Fail was seeking to have the number of plates requiring disability access cut to 100.

Mr Eric Byrne, a Democratic, left member of the City Council, also wants the number of taxis requiring disability access cut to 100. He said it was "premature" to suggest the issue was finalised as the proposal had yet to be put to the councils at Fingal, Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown and South Dublin and there were dozens of different interest groups.

The Irish Wheelchair Association said it was "greatly concerned" that efforts were being made to reduce the number of extra accessible taxis.