I believe Taxi regulations should be changed to prohibit convicted criminals from operating taxis. The revelations regarding the taxi industry in the Prime Time Investigates programme point to significant issues of public concern. The most worrying was the fact that 6,000 taxi drivers or one in every seven taxi drivers has a criminal record. This is a significant issue of public safety and causes great concern to the general public. It also does a major disservice to the Taxi industry and devalues it as a respectable career choice. As Chair of Joint Policing Committee on Dublin Central I have contacted the Regulators Office and requested that immediate action is taken to amend the regulations so that any person with a criminal record is disqualified from obtaining a taxi license and/or from operating a taxi. I will table a motion at the next meeting of the Joint Policing Committee calling on the regulator and relevant minister to amend the relevant legislation to make it a criminal offence for any person with a criminal record to apply for or operate a SPSV licence. I will seek the support of the full City Council for the motion.All the best, Mary.
