Taxi dispute: Taxi unions are to decide today whether to stage disruptive action this weekend to coincide with the Ryder Cup.
One of the union leaders involved suggested yesterday that protests would not be in taxi drivers' interests, but another said a withdrawal of services could not be ruled out.
Siptu official Jerry Brennan said positive dialogue had been opened with the Department of Transport, and it would be a mistake for drivers to jeopardise that. However, Irish Taxi Drivers' Federation (ITDF) president John Ussher said a decision would not be taken until lunchtime today.
Traffic in Dublin city centre was severely disrupted last Monday week by the fourth taxi drivers' protest since July, supported by Siptu, the ITDF and the National Taxi Drivers' Union.
They were demanding changes to new rules for fares, drawn up by taxi regulator Ger Deering, which come into effect next Monday.
Mr Brennan said yesterday the department was committed to bringing forward legislation providing taxi drivers with an avenue of appeal against a regulator's decisions. This was significant as it meant that drivers would for the first time have an institutional means of addressing grievances.
Even if the taxi unions call off their protest campaign today, a threat remains of disruption to services at Dublin airport from Monday.
Drivers currently pay a 70 cent fee to use the airport but in turn charge an additional €1.50 to customers they collect. The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) wants instead to introduce a €500 annual charge. Unions will meet the DAA this morning to try to resolve the situation.
Taxi union leaders also met the Competition Authority yesterday. A spokesman for the authority, which requested the meeting, said it had expressed concern that drivers participating in the recent protests may have been acting in breach of competition law.
