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Independent Galway West TD, Noel Grealish has labelled some taxi drivers who are working in Galway City as ‘unscrupulous’ for driving without the proper insurance cover in place, calling for the ‘scam’ to be stamped out immediately.

Mr Grealish contacted a number of senior officials including the Minister of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern; the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and the Taxi Regulator Kathleen Doyle. The Galway West TD wanted to highlight the grave and serious nature of the activities being carried out by a minority of taxi drivers, demanding that the matter is fully investigated and tackled.

In the letter Deputy Grealish wrote, ‘a small number of taxi drivers, unfortunately most of whom are foreign nationals, are purchasing car insurance, to be paid by direct debit over the course of the insurance policy. After two or three months, they are cancelling the policy, but they retain a valid insurance certificate and insurance disc. They change address and hence are untraceable within the city. Unsuspecting members of the public are then using these taxis, unaware that they are actually travelling in an uninsured vehicle and in the unfortunate event of an accident occurring are not covered and will not be able to claim any compensation'.

This is a small minority of taxi drivers, intentionally operating this ‘scam', but Mr Grealish did acknowledge that the vast majority are law-abiding cabbies, simply trying to ply their trade by the rules with adequate cover in place.

The swindle also sees the offenders paying deposits to insurance companies who supply them with an insurance disc and certificate. However, when the ‘unscrupulous' taxi driver fails to fulfil their part of the policy agreement and does not settle payment for the full balance, the insurer is left struggling to locate them to get the disc and certificate back, because they have changed address or given false information.

Deputy Grealish said, "They are then driving around with the discs on the windscreen and are in possession of the certificate. I would ask that this issue be addressed as a matter of urgency given the very serious nature of the situation and the consequences for members of the public, other road users and fellow taxi drivers who are abiding by the law."

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