Taxi group considering legal action

THE Irish Taxi Federation is considering taking legal action, against Dublin Corporation, over its decisions to increase taxi…

THE Irish Taxi Federation is considering taking legal action, against Dublin Corporation, over its decisions to increase taxi licence fees and issue 200 more licences for the city. If legal action is not an option, further protests by taxi drivers can be expected, the federation warned yesterday.

Drivers were reported to be incensed by a decision by city councillors on Monday night to increase the licence fee, which is paid every two years, from £100 to £450. It followed last month's decision by councillors to issue 200 more taxi plates, at a cost of £15,000 each.

Last month's decision to issue 200 new licences followed year-long deliberations by city councillors over how to respond to increasing complaints about a chronic shortage of taxis. However the federation says such shortages occur only during brief peak periods.