There is great alarm, anger and concern among taxi drivers across the country because of the moves by Uber to introduce a fixed fare system. As outlined in the question by Deputy Pa Daly earlier, he alluded to the very serious question on whether this fixed fare being brought in by Uber actually circumvents, undermines or subverts the taxi regulation legislation in this country, which is designed to protect the regulation of the taxi industry, the livelihoods of taxi drivers and the existing fare structure based on the taximeter. This is negotiated every couple of years and takes into account the need for taxi drivers to have a fair income, while taking account of their costs and so on, rather than have price competition, which can undermine their livelihoods and their incomes. The fixed fare structure Uber is trying to bring in is undermining that. It is undermining the taximeter and it means that taxi drivers would not get the fare they should get according to the meter. Just in case customers or consumers out there might think this is somehow a good thing for them, they should bear in mind what happens when Uber gets its way. Even if people think in this case there might be some short-term benefit, in reality what Uber does everywhere is undermine the proper regulation of the taxi industry. Here we have proper regulation so you know who your taxi driver is. There is safety and accountability in terms of your taxi driver. It is somebody who is a proper, regulated taxi driver with a licence. What Uber does is try to get rid of all of that and introduce the situation where basically anybody at all can moonlight as a taxi driver and the industry and the livelihoods of taxi drivers are undermined. Once Uber has succeeded in deregulating the industry then it can jack up the fixed fares and can add in all sorts of charges. Currently there is accountability. There is a relationship between the customer and the taxi driver where the customer can see the meter and can see what he or she will be charged because what the charges will be is legally regulated. All of that potentially goes out the window once Uber gets in and prises open the market. Taxi drivers will protest this Saturday about it, they have called for a boycott of Uber, and I think they are absolutely right. Taxi drivers should delete the Uber app and they themselves should take action to get Uber out. The Government should also intervene to stop what taxi drivers rightly believe to be an action by Uber that is undermining the regulation of the taxi industry as set out in the taxi regulation Acts and in the maximum fare order.

Sentiment score: -0.05

The point is, and the Minister of State is absolutely right, that taxi drivers can do that and many now are signed up with Uber, but they have recognised the threat that Uber represents for the industry and Uber's desire ultimately to try and deregulate the entire industry and do away with it as an industry, and undermine the livelihoods in this country of about 20,000 taxi drivers. Many would have signed up probably not knowing what the implications were of signing up with Uber. This is why they are now calling for a boycott and for the deletion of the Uber app. From the point of view of the Government, we have a regulated industry. I believe that Ireland supported Catalonia in a legal case about establishing the right of countries to regulate their own taxi industry. That was the Government responding to pressure from taxi drivers to protect the taxi industry as a key part of our public transport system and to protect the livelihoods of taxi drivers. Companies such as Uber and others, with Uber leading the charge, want to create downward price competition, which will undermine the livelihoods of taxi drivers. They should not be allowed to do it. There may be a misconception that somehow the customer is going to benefit from this but they will be sorry in the medium-to-long-term because once Uber gets in, destroys the livelihoods of ordinary taxi drivers and deregulates the industry, it can then jack up the fixed prices to whatever it wants. What we will actually get it is dynamic pricing going upwards in many cases. Taxi drivers would like to see the Government enforce its own legislation to protect the regulation of the industry, which Uber is trying to undermine.

Sentiment score: 0.08

It is undermining the meter.

Sentiment score: -0.36