Sir, - The taxi situation in Dublin is scandalous. On Saturday night last, despite repeated attempts to hail a taxi, I had to walk from Temple Bar to the Navan Road before I succeeded in getting one to take me to Blanchardstown. On my walk, I was passed by countless taxis travelling in both directions, many of them without passengers.
Why doesn't the Government discharge its duty to the citizens of Dublin by deregulating the taxi industry? This could be accomplished fairly simply as follows:
compensating those taxi drivers who have paid £50,000 or £60,000 for a taxi licence;
introducing an examination, similar to the "knowledge" in London, designed to test the candidate's knowledge of Dublin;
issuing a licence for a nominal fee, say £1,000, to anyone of good character who has passed this exam and who owns a decent car.
It all boils down to a simple equation: vested interests versus the public good. If the political will existed to confront these vested interests, deregulation of the taxi industry would result in a significant improvement in the quality of life for Dubliners. The current situation is an indictment of the lack of political will among our elected representatives. No wonder people are cynical about politicians. - Yours, etc.,
Joe Patton, Coolmine Woods, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.