29/10/2013

Taxi Drivers Challenge Govt Over Licence Deregulation

Three taxi drivers are challenging the government in the High Court over a decision made 13 years ago to liberalise the taxi market "overnight".

According to reports the High Court has heard that the state had acted "unreasonably and unfairly" and had wiped out the value of a taxi licence.

It is claimed that the government had previously strictly regulated the issuing of taxi licences', with drivers investing large sums of money to secure one, a system which the drivers say "created value for taxi licences".

However, the drivers argue that a government decision for sudden deregulation in 2000, "wiped out" that value.

The men are not claiming that Minister for the Enviroment Michael Collins was not entitled to liberalise the taxi market, but are questioning the "manner in which it was done", according to RTÉ.

The case is ongoing.

(MH/IT)

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