'Illegal taxi drivers are pushing up insurance rates for everyone' -Mark Nolan from taxy.ie

Mark Nolan from taxy.ie talked to investigative journalist Gemma O'Doherty about people illegally operating as taxis in Ireland who are uninsured, unlicensed and not vetted after a video he took featuring Dublin taxi drivers catching a Brazilian immigrant operating as a taxi service illegally went viral.
https://www.facebook.com/maynooth.cabs/videos/2921651154529142/UzpfSTEwMDAxMTA3MDI1NDI3MTo4ODEyMzYxMTU1ODg3MjI/

Nolan told O'Doherty that as these drivers are operating without the proper insurance, if there is an accident, the claim will be passed onto the Insurance Bureau of Ireland with the result that insurance rates will increase for all drivers to cover the cost and not just taxi drivers. Nolan said this was probably why insurance rates are so high. Nolan said the average cost to insure a taxi cab for existing taxi drivers is about €2,500 but for new drivers, the rate is now approximately €6,500. He says the rate would have been about €1,500 six or seven years ago.

Nolan also spoke about rickshaw drivers which is a common means of employment for Brazilans in Ireland which he says should be taxed and insured as motorised vehicles but are not. He says the gardaí have been made aware of this and if that these rickshaw drivers have an accident, "they're all in serious trouble".

Nolan said the people operating illegally as taxi drivers mainly target fares to and from the airport and the phenomenon is happening across Ireland. The Brazilian driver featured in the video had advertised his service on facebook. Nolan said he is going to continue to catch illegal drivers on camera.

Broadcast: 22 Sep 2019
https://gemmaodoherty.com/videos