Publican slams ‘crazy’ laws limiting taxi licences

COUNT Cavan has 108 registered taxis

Cavan has the fifth lowest taxi count in the country, according to a report issued by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

The Breffni County accounts for 108 out of the 19,111 taxis registered in the country or 5.7 per cent of the total. The only counties with fewer taxis than Cavan are neighbouring counties of Leitrim (49), Monaghan (64), Longford (71) and Roscommon (102).

Publican Seamus Farrelly used to own a taxi business in Cavan Town and believes the shortage of taxis for hire is a huge problem in the county that needs addressing.

“You can’t get a taxi during the week because some drivers don’t work during the week and other companies close at half eleven.

“I’m stuck myself bringing home customers [from the pub]. They can’t get a taxi at night time. And the ones [taxi drivers] who are working are busy with their own customers. I do have to bring most people home Monday to Thursday. It’s a catch 22.”

The yearly cost of running a single taxi for an experienced driver ranges from €14,500 to €23,515, depending on the vehicle you choose, according to the NTA report.

For an inexperienced driver, these figures range from €19,544 to €26,015 per annum. These costs exclude purchasing the vehicle itself.

If a driver ran their taxi 365 days a year, a minimum of €40 per day would go towards these expenses.

The average taxi driver in Ireland earns €411 per week, which works out at €59 a day, resulting in a mere €19 profit.

Reporting on the scarcity of taxis in the county, Mr Farrelly says: “I think it’s a cost issue. You can’t acquire a taxi licence now, you have to rent one. You’d pay up to €250 a week for that car, plus insurance. That’s the problem.

The owner of the Fifth Avenue Bar in Cavan Town believes the government needs to review the regulations in this area.

“I think if the government relaxed the laws on people acquiring taxis, where people that have taxis can sell their plates and let people get into the industry, you might be better off. Any man who wants to start into the business at the moment, he’s not going to be able to unless he rents, or else buys a €50,000 wheelchair accessible vehicle. That’s the main problem that’s stopping people from getting into it," he surmised.

‘Crazy’

“It’s an absolutely stupid law. They should let any people who want to work in the industry to go and buy a car and pay the licence and away you go. I don’t know why they do this stuff, it’s crazy. I know people that have left the industry and let their licence go dead because they couldn’t get anybody to drive them.”

Seamus closed his taxi business back in 2015 to try his hand as a pub owner, opening Fifth Avenue Bar in Cavan Town. Prior to this, his business was booming.

Changing culture

“It was very busy, absolutely. At that time it was busy through the day and night but there are a lot of factors in it now that are causing it not to be busy. The whole drink culture is changing.

"Since the covid you’re finding more people are drinking at home in home bars and stuff like that. But I think in Cavan the Local Link has been a massive blow to the taxi industry. What the drivers are finding now is that it’s not viable to come out during the week," suggested Seamus.

"I know from my time at the bus station there, you could be getting fares to the Radisson, to the hospital, fares to Tesco and Dunnes, and all of them are gone now because of the Local Link,” he continued.

It’s not just Cavan that has seen the number of taxis decrease. The taxi industry nationwide has declined by 26% in the past 17 years when it fell from 25,695 to 19,111.