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“I’d be better off on the dole”
25.02.09
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
THE Taxi Regulator has come in for stinging
criticism following a number of recent raids in
Buncrana. Enforcement officers from the Commission
for Taxi Regulation are understood to have made at
least five visits to the town since 1 January, most
recently on Friday, 13 February, where they have
fined hackneys for plying for hire on the street.
Barney Griffin (pictured) was one of two hackney
drivers issued with on the spot fines on 13 February
when three regulators swooped. “Two men got into my
car in the West End and asked me to take them to the
Drift Inn and what the price would be,” an angry Mr
Griffin said. “I noticed their accents and didn’t
engage them. One of them said he was going to fine
me €250. I asked him if he was going to stay for the
weekend and catch the vehicles operating illegally
in the town.”
Another hackney driver was issued with a €250 fine
at the same time. |
The Inishowen
Independent understands that unlicensed vehicles act
as hackneys in Buncrana, particularly on busy
weekend nights, while taxis registered in the North
also illegally ply for late night trade.
No taxis operate from Buncrana and the town does not
have a taxi rank. Indeed, there is only one taxi
licensed in all of |
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Inishowen, and that’s a
wheelchair accessible taxi based in Moville.
“I’d be better off signing on the dole than having
to put up with this,” Mr Griffin fumed. “In all my
years driving I’ve never been charged with a driving
offence and I was charged €250 for trying to make a
living. It’s hard to take. I had made just €36 that
Friday, and with a stroke of the pen this Regulator
fined me a week’s wages.”
The Regulator declined to answer questions specific
to Buncrana, saying that it did not discuss levels
of enforcement activity. In a statement, it said
that a hackney may only be hired by a pre-booked
arrangement and hackneys plying or standing for hire
are committing an offence under the Taxi Regulation
Act and subject to a €250 fine or prosecution.
The Regulator did, however, confirm that it has just
nine enforcement officers to cover the entire 26
counties.
Town Councillor Joe Doherty has written to the
Regulator seeking clarification on the issue. “If
there are only nine investigators in the whole
country, is the same level of scrutiny being applied
everywhere, or is Buncrana being singled out?”
“Hackneys are very important and give an excellent
service to the people of Buncrana, whether it’s for
a night out or for an elderly person to travel to a
local medical centre. There needs to be a level
playing field for Buncrana hackneys.”
“The law is the law, but there must be common sense
too,” Mr Griffin said. “We hear a lot about the
prevention of drink driving. But if we’re put out of
business, what will happen then.” |
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