Sir, - Is the "appalling injustice" that David Quigley talks about in relation to deregulating the taxi industry (November 23rd), the same appalling injustice that I felt when the value of my Eircom shares dipped alarmingly over the past 12 months? Or perhaps the same injustice I felt after a similar downturn in the value of shares I hold with my own employer, a PLC quoted on the NASDAQ?
Get with it, taxi drivers and supporters. The day of open market competition is upon us all, and we must adapt accordingly. The only appalling injustice in this whole situation is the fact that the ordinary public has had to wait so long for full and fair access to a taxi service in recent years. Unfortunately, given the way the taxi industry has evolved over the years while pandering to the vested interests, there now exists a certain number of hard-luck stories such as that quoted by Mr Quigley. I should think that these cases are in the minority, however, given the lucrative pickings that we know were to be had by those running taxis in a monopoly situation.
It will be interesting to see how much public support Mr Quigley will get for his threatened public campaign at the next election. - Is mise,
Seamus Coyne, Highfield Park, Galway.