Dublin City Councillor Mary Fitzpatrick has said the revelations regarding the taxi industry in the Prime Time Investigates programme point to significant issues of public concern.
 
Councillor Fitzpatrick said: “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.
 
Councillor Fitzpatrick, who is leader of the Fianna Fáil group on the Council added: “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.
 
In conclusion Councillor Fitzpatrick said: “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.”