Sir, - Dublin's taxi service is expensive and inadequate. If it is to be improved, it will need a major change in attitude and approach to the issuing of taxi licences.
One must first question the purpose of the licence. Is it, as I feel it should be, for the protection of the public - or is it to grant a commercial advantage to the licensee? Assuming the former, it has over time developed into the latter, much to the detriment of the public.
A proper approach would be one that benefits Dublin's one million-plus inhabitants as well as visitors, and not one that protects the vested interests of the current licence-holders, of which there are only about 2,000.
Through simple supply-and-demand economics, the city and county authorities could increase the annual licence revenue by substantially increasing the annual licence fee and issuing new licences on demand to citizens of good standing. The net effect of this approach would be: (1) a much improved and cheaper taxi service; (2) increased public revenue; (3) more employment in the taxi industry.
The only losers would be the holders of the approximate 2,000 current taxi licences. - Yours, etc.,
Whitechurch Road, Dublin 16.