Taxi Driver Online

The Mirror

August 18, 2006 Friday

HEADLINE: WE'RE TEED OFF; STRIKING CABBIES ACCUSED OF AMBUSHING D 130M RYDER CUP

BYLINE: BY JIMMY [edited by admin]

FURIOUS taxi drivers are threatening to cause strike chaos at next month's Ryder Cup.

Sports Minister John O'Donoghue yesterday accused them of trying to sabotage tourism ahead of the EUR130million golfing bonanza at the K Club in Co Kildare.

But battle lines are being drawn after National Taxi Drivers Union

president Tommy Gorman said a stoppage will be discussed by his members after the proposal was put to around 1,000 drivers in Dublin on Wednesday. He added: "There certainly will be some upsetting of the Ryder Cup. We have a mandate from that meeting and obviously we'll have to act on it.

Something needs to be done to cool the anger and simmer it in some way.

"Mr O'Donoghue is concerned and said he would talk to his constituents in Tralee and Killarney and look at their position as a result of this regulation."

The row started after taxi regulator Ger Deering announced plans to change the national fare structure. The new arrangements will see minimum charges of EUR3.80 or EUR4.10 at peak times instead of the current system where fares are set by local authorities.

The new fares, which come in to force next month, will also see an end to luggage charges. Aer Rianta has also demanded a d500 fee for picking up fares at Dublin Airport, which drivers have vowed not to pay.

Mr Gorman added: "There was a lot of anger and the one proposal from the floor was we'll go back to the three executives of the unions and we'll look at it constructively and deal with it in a professional manner.

"The other was the non-payment of fees to Dublin Airport."

Drivers have not changed their meters ahead of the September 25 deadline and say a new fare structure is needed to offset potential losses.

They have already staged two stoppages over the new charges. The Ryder Cup is one the most lucrative events on the international sporting calendar and will bring around 40,000 people a day to the K Club.
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