The board of Aer Rianta yesterday empowered its chairman, Mr Noel Hanlon, to deal with the lack of taxis at Dublin Airport.
The board's decision gives Mr Hanlon power to implement a by-law which would enable hackney-drivers to operate at the airport despite warnings from the taxi unions that this would break the law, worsen the dispute and result in taxi men again picketing the airport.
The travelling public were not being unduly discommoded, Mr Vincent Kearns, vice-president of the National Taxi Drivers' Union, insisted. They were availing of CIE and private buses and phoning for hackneys.
This harmony would cease, he predicted, if hackney-drivers chose to break the law and pick up passengers.
But the National Hackney Drivers' Association's secretary, Mr Christopher Humphrey, was adamant that, while it was illegal to ply for hire, his members would not be in breach of the law if Aer Rianta contracted out the service to hackneys.
Aer Rianta said in a statement that while it was willing to wait until tomorrow, in deference to a Garda request to do so, the company would take all steps necessary to ensure that the public had access to taxis at the airport.
The taxi-drivers' representatives were relatively sanguine last night about the board's decision, which was preceded by a meeting between the taxi unions and Aer Rianta.
Mr Kearns said the talks with the Dublin Airport manager, Mr George O'Connor, had been "very frank and open". He added: "We've always had good relations with Aer Rianta management. We outlined the problems we had with the hackney-drivers' proposed initiative and put our cards on the table.
"We have had many calls from members of IMPACT, the NBRU and SIPTU at the airport, pledging their support", said Mr Kearns, who said taxis in Dublin city were parked on the ranks and picketing was taking place in an orderly manner.
They had assured Mr O'Connor that they had no wish to disrupt Dublin Airport. In any event, Mr Kearns said, he doubted whether many hackney-drivers would be willing to put themselves "in the full glare of the media" by being seen picking up passengers in a public place such as the airport and breaking the law. "They're already out there picking up people in the street. Why should they bother?" he asked.
In spite of the Aer Rianta board's decision, the taxi unions do not believe the company will implement its threat. They are convinced that the consequences would be too serious for the airport in the run-up to the Christmas holiday period.
The taxi unions are due to meet officials of the Department of the Environment today.
Cork taxi-drivers voted by secret ballot to return to work today, pending further clarification by the courts of their claim that the deregulation order has no basis in law.