Cork taxi drivers 'in fear'; greater safety measures called for following attacks

A GROUP representing taxi drivers has called for measures of protection following reports of attacks in recent weeks.

Bobby Lynch, of the Cork Taxi Council, has called for extra gardaí to patrol the streets, after several assaults on taxi drivers.

A number of incidents have also been before the courts in recent months.

Mr Lynch said attacks on taxi drivers are happening too often, and many drivers are not reporting them.

“I’m afraid if nothing is done about it, are we going to wait until some driver gets killed? Murdered? It’s looking that way. There’s no safety there for us.”

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire expressed concern regarding a number of assaults.

“There have been too many attacks and a number of drivers were injured. Drivers are extremely worried.

“Taxi drivers do not deserve to be in fear of assault when they are just going about doing their jobs,” Mr Ó Laoghaire said.

“There were a number of fairly serious assaults in recent weeks,” said Mr Ó Laoighaire.

“Many drivers do not report them to the garda because they fear nothing will happen.

“I encourage anyone, if they can, to report things to the garda, but the fear drivers have is there will not be a follow-on from it.”

“So I urge gardaí in Cork to engage with the drivers and that the National Transport Authority (NTA) ensure they are protected in whatever way possible,” he said.

'WE NEED MORE GUARDS'

Mr Lynch said gardaí are restricted in what they can do. “A lot of our customers that we do pick up on the weekends, are very well behaved.

“They respect what we are doing. The gardaí can’t be present at every situation to protect them, and they lack back-up for themselves if there is trouble,” said Mr Lynch.

“We can talk about it and highlight it, that’s all we can do.”

Mr Lynch called on Cork’s TDs to act on the issue. “First of all, we need more guards out there,” he said. “If you go to Manchester, there are guards on every corner.”

Independent Cork City Councillor Ken O’Flynn said: “I strongly recommend that sufficient mechanisms are in place to guarantee the safety and security of taxi drivers in Cork city.

“The recent attacks on taxi drivers have raised alarms throughout the community, creating a sense of insecurity among the drivers, passengers, and the public at large.

“We should prioritise safety as the most fundamental and essential ingredient for the overall functioning of our transportation system.

“Therefore, I call on the National Transport Authority to extend its support by implementing additional security measures for taxi drivers in Cork.

“Installing CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and other such security mechanisms would not only deter such criminal acts, but it will also help in managing such unforeseen situations professionally,” Mr O’Flynn said.

“While it is indeed true that there are measures currently in place to ensure safety, recent incidents justify the need to bolster our security mechanisms further.

“Collaboration between the NTA, relevant authorities, and taxi drivers in providing comprehensive safety measures and training needs to be promoted.

“I urge the NTA to take immediate and decisive steps in ensuring the safety of our taxi drivers and the general public. We look forward to collaborative action with the Cork City Council, the gardaí, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure effective safety guarantees.

“I want to assure taxi drivers and their passengers of our unequivocal commitment to promoting their safety. We need to ensure that Cork remains a safe and secure place for all,” added Mr O’Flynn.