Taxi Race to the Bottom

Speaking before Saturday’s 'Taxi Drivers For Change' protest in Dublin, east Meath local election candidate Sinéad Burke has labellled the government's management of the taxi industry in Ireland as a 'Race to the Bottom'.
“I have spoken to taxi drivers in east Meath who are working up to 80 and 90 hours a week, for what amounts to less than the minimum wage. One driver says he can expect to get €30 for one twelve hour shift. This is unsustainable. The current system is a nonsense. It is unfair on those taxi drivers putting in long hours each week to allow part-time drivers cherry pick fairs.
"There are 27,000 taxi licenses currently granted in Ireland. There is a large minority of these being hired out to second parties for about €200 a week. On top of that there are illegal operators working in every part of the country. Despite this, there are only nine taxi enforcement officers in the country.
"A moratorium on the granting of licenses needs to be introduced immediately to sort this out. Far too many drivers are working far too many hours, and they and their families are suffering real hardship as a result."