Only 16 new taxi driver licences issued in Meath and 15 in Louth in 2023
Highlighting the challenges people in County Meath have accessing taxi services, Labour Councillor Elaine McGinty has urged Government to roll out a campaign to recruit more taxi drivers.
With only 16 taxi driver licences issued in Meath in 2023 and only 33 between 2020 to 2023, she said people in Meath are struggling due to a lack of available services.
“We are all aware that there’s a huge lack of taxi services in Dublin and have all heard stories of being left stranded for hours waiting to hail a cab. But Meath has a problem of its own which is having a huge impact on everyone in the area” Cllr McGinty said.
“For those living and working in the boundary with Louth the picture is no better, with only 15 licenses issued last year and a total of 30 between 2020 to 2023. The Irish taxi industry provides a vital and necessary transport function for people who are unable to avail of bus or rail options. Taxis that run both on peak and off peak play a vital role in plugging the many public transport infrastructure gaps we have in Meath.
“Two groups of people are left really stuck due to this lack of availability – those attending hospital appointments and our young people and revellers on a Saturday night.
“We know that Government is set on reforming licencing laws to extend opening hours, but if there isn’t access to ample, safe transport options home, the laws won’t be worth the paper it’s written on.
“During Covid, the taxi industry was utterly forgotten about by Government. It’s an industry that only survives through the movement of people. I’d urge this Government to work with industry to deliver more regulated, safe and widely available taxis.”
