The taxi-drivers' protest is likely to escalate today, union leaders have warned. The union leaders are still waiting to receive legal advice on whether they can challenge the decision by Minister of State Mr Bobby Molloy to deregulate the taxi industry.
"If we can challenge it, we will," said Mr John Ussher, president of the Irish Taxi-Drivers' Federation, yesterday.
He said the protesters intended staying at their positions until they saw progress.
However, this could prove difficult following the High Court injunction granted to Aer Rianta to stop taxi-drivers from blocking Dublin Airport.
"I have never seen the men so angry," Mr Ussher said.
"Things could get very nasty."
Mr Ussher said the number of protesters grew continuously yesterday, as more drivers heard about the protests and joined their colleagues at central points in and around Dublin and at the airport.
There were about 2,000 drivers on the streets of the city, according to Mr Ussher, and many more on the streets of Limerick, Waterford and Galway. Disruption was also caused in the centre of Cork.
"It's my assessment of the situation that things are going to get worse before they get better," Mr Ussher said.
Meanwhile, the National Taxi-Drivers' Union said the size of the protest would double if the decision was taken to make the action official.
Mr Vincent Kearns, vice-president of the NTDU, said the protest would be made official if the Government did not take urgent action.
However, he said, members of the Government were "finally beginning to show an interest in consultation with taxi-drivers".
"Since Bobby Molloy announced his plan for 3,100 more taxis on the streets, there has been no consultation. Social partnership, my eye," he said.
Mr Des Geraghty, president of SITPU, said progress could only be achieved through extensive consultation with industry representatives.
Mr Kearns said the strength of feeling was evident from the taxi-drivers who came from Limerick to show their support alongside drivers from Dublin.
"They will stay until Christmas if it takes that long."
However, the small and medium enterprises group, ISME, called on the authorities to serve notice on drivers blocking roads.
"ISME understands that it is a requirement in law that taxi-owners or drivers be exempt from a criminal record," a spokesman said.
He said if the offences were repeated today, the protesting drivers should be charged and have their licences removed on conviction.
