Clare VFI Chair Urges Government To Relax Taxi Industry Barriers To Entry

The Clare VFI Chair is urging the government the relax the taxi industry's barriers to entry as a means of addressing the ongoing supply shortage. The newly-formed Taxis for Ireland Coalition has penned an open letter to the Taoiseach and Transport Minister urging them to acknowledge the the "extreme shortage" of taxis in cities, towns and rural areas. Over 63% of publicans have described their local taxi service as poor or non-existent while seven out of 10 people have reported difficulties in sourcing a taxi on a night-out. Chair of the Clare branch of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland and proprietor of O'Dea's Bar Ennis Charlie O'Meara says it's simply not financially viable at present for people to become taxi drivers.