Although I am not prepared for this, we all know in our hearts what we want to say about this issue. I roundly condemn the taxi drivers for denying citizens access to the Parliament. To find Kildare Street closed was unbelievable. I know people believe they make a greater impact by what we euphemistically describe as "direct social action", but the opinion of the people of Dublin and the regard in which they once held taxi drivers is at an all time low after this morning's carry on.
A colleague opposite spoke about one law for some people and another law for others. There is no doubt that if any citizen of this city stopped their car in Molesworth Street and attempted to block Kildare Street, their removal would be rapid and the fine would be large for actually breaking a law. Today we saw a large number of people breaking the law. This was not an official union protest but an unlawful gathering which started with a member of the Garda Síochána being assaulted and a taxi driver being brought to Pearse Street Garda station. If there was a way, I would have brought them all to Pearse Street Garda station.
This is a long festering boil that has finally been burst. If you operate a closed shop and make deals within that shop, I think it is actually unlawful to expect to get a tax write-off for making a huge profit, as many taxi men have over the years. They started the system of putting a price on plates and of saying "You cannot come in, unless you get the approval of the committee". I heard a taxi driver on the radio some time ago agree that this was the case.
I lack sympathy for taxi drivers. The case was well put on Pat Kenny's show last week when it was acknowledged that the paralympians, whom we all rushed to praise and greet, could not be transported home from the national television station. The two companies RTÉ rang could not get anyone to respond who would take people with mobility disabilities. I have almost no sympathy for them.
I have a certain amount of sympathy for somebody who claims to have bought a plate three months ago for £75,000 and believes they are going to lose their home. How could anyone have been so ill advised as to pay out that money in the middle of a long drawn out dispute on how the taxi licensing issue would be resolved and in the face of an imminent decision which anybody could have told them would do away with that system? I am very happy that system is being done away with.
I am coming across as distinctly unfriendly towards taxi drivers but I think I am reflecting the feelings of the people of Dublin who have been held to ransom week in, week out by taxi men. The latest I heard was that there was a complaint about the issuing of receipts. Members and other citizens must account for every penny we receive. Why should taxi people be any different? If a certain group is given a tax write-off because the capital loss involved is great, which it would be in some cases, it may open the floodgates. Another speaker mentioned the example of the owner of a corner shop who invested his life savings in his business, but the village was bypassed and he lost out. There is no compensation for such people. If this move goes ahead, it will open a Pandora's box in this area.
On the plus side, the Minister of State showed courage. However, I suspect that if an opinion poll was taken today, the recent glowing results for the Government would be dimmed because, as Members noted on the Order of Business, there are ongoing rail and air strikes, taxi drivers are refusing to behave as good and lawful citizens and many other anarchic things are going on in society. People keep saying we have never had it so good, but there is nothing good about a system where public transport has come to a standstill and the streets have been taken over by an unlawful gathering.
Regarding the new proposals, I welcome the £100 charge, a relatively small amount, that will be added to the £5,000 licence fee. I hope this will put an end to the blatant and awful discrimination carried out by taxi men and some hackney people against the disabled. I heard a woman on the radio yesterday say how she had booked a taxi three days in advance of an event she wished to attend, but on the day the company rang to tell her it was sorry it could not bring her. She could not make a simple trip to the theatre.
It is time people are made accountable and responsible. I am in favour of the issuing of receipts. An allowance should be made for a person who came into the business recently and may lose out on that level. However, I heard today of people earning salaries of £800 a week for the past number of years. Why is there any need to compensate these people?
Ireland has been strangled by regulation. Every time we try to do something, we are prevented. An example of this is pub licences. This is not a free society and I am delighted about deregulation if it means the public will get a better service. Our role is to ensure that is the case.
I acknowledge the Minister of State's courage, although he may have to pay for it because it is obvious that some of his Fianna Fáil colleagues are already backtracking to a great extent. I heard one Fianna Fáil Member on the radio yesterday and if there was ever a case of trying to save Fianna Fáil in this morass, that was it. It would be remiss of me not to remind the House of the massive backing given to certain Fianna Fáil candidates in the last general election by taxi men. Perhaps the chickens have come home to roost to some extent.