‘Staggering’ 21% decline in taxis in Donegal is ‘killing the night time economy’

Figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA) show the drop in taxi numbers in the North West has been particularly steep.

Fianna Fáil Senator Robbie Gallagher, who is originally from Termon but lives in Monaghan, raised the matter in the Seanad before it rose for the summer recess.

He said the decline in taxis was having a ‘very detrimental and suffocating effect on rural Ireland’.

“It is so bad now that it is causing an economic bottleneck and, in my opinion, is also acting as a social barrier. The figures from the NTA released last May paint a very bleak picture in that 20 counties are seeing a decline in taxi numbers.

"This is despite the fact that over the past ten years our population has increased by more than 8 per cent. The Border region is particularly badly affected, with taxi numbers down a staggering 20 per cent.

"My county of Monaghan has seen a decline of 31.29 per cent, which is the worst in all of Ireland. Cavan has seen a drop of 19 per cent, Donegal has seen a drop of 21 per cent and Louth has seen a drop of 16 per cent or 17 per cent. This clearly shows we have a serious problem in this regard,” said Senator Gallagher.

The Seanad was told that the decline is ‘killing the night-time economy especially’.

"People would like to go out and socialise, which we would like to see, and go out for a bite to eat or a few drinks or whatever. It is important that we encourage this type of behaviour.

"The reality for many people thinking about going into the town or the village this evening is that they would have no way home so they make the decision not to go out at all.

"This is not what we want to see in rural Ireland. I call on the NTA to address this particular issue because it is affecting the people of rural Ireland very much. We cannot allow this decline to continue in our rural counties. I call on the NTA to address this matter urgently,” said the Senator.