Taxi driver numbers fall by 15% in Meath
New figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA) reveal that Meath saw a 3.47 percent increase in taxi driver numbers between 2023 and 2024 from 346 to 358 driver numbers, but is still 15% below the 421 in 2019.
The figures show that despite Ireland’s population growing by 8.5% from 2019 to 2024 and inbound tourism numbers rising by 5% from 2023 to 2024, taxi driver numbers have remained stagnant or in sharp decline in many areas. Nationally, the total number of taxi drivers has increased by only 1% yet actual taxi vehicle numbers operated by drivers have dropped 4.4% from 2019 to 2025. The figures show that taxi driver growth is overwhelmingly concentrated in Dublin, exacerbating existing inequalities and leaving both urban and rural communities, which have limited public transport alternatives, disproportionately disadvantaged.
Significant taxi decreases were seen in Monaghan (down by 28.6 percent). Wexford (down by 24.4 percent), Longford (down by 20.9 percent), Offaly (down by 20.1 percent) and Kildare (down by 19 percent).
While Dublin, Limerick and Kerry have shown moderate growth, 10 counties showed no growth or continued decline even from 2023 to 2024, including Donegal, Wexford, and Waterford. Despite an increase in the three counties referenced, the lack of availability is affecting the tourism, hospitality and night-time economies.
“We are still facing a taxi shortage crisis,” said Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and founding member of the Taxis for Ireland Coalition. “It’s being hidden behind a modest urban recovery, but the reality in regional areas and at urban peak times is that people are stranded.
In rural Ireland, hospitality businesses are being devastated. Without taxis, people stay home.”
The Taxis for Ireland Coalition identifies the requirement for new taxis to be Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs) as the primary barrier to new drivers entering the market. WAVs typically cost over €60,000, and grant assistance from the NTA is highly oversubscribed. In 2025, the WAV Grant closed within 15 minutes of opening, following similar occurrences in 2024 and 2023.
The NTA acknowledges that converting the entire SPSV fleet to WAVs would take approximately 25 years and cost €297 million.
In contrast, limousine licences, which do not face a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) restriction, have increased significantly by 27 percent since 2019, growing from 2,110 to 2,687.
WAV targets set by the National Sustainable Mobility Policy (NSMP) have already been exceeded well ahead of schedule and WAVs currently make up almost 25% of the overall taxi fleet.
“The current requirement for all new taxi entrants to operate wheelchair accessible vehicles, while well-intentioned, is having the opposite of its intended effect” says Kieran Harte, Head of Uber Ireland. “It's creating a significant barrier for many would-be drivers who simply cannot afford or access these specialist vehicles. As a result, fewer new drivers are entering the industry, and the overall supply of taxis in Ireland is stagnating.
At the same time, wheelchair users, who this policy is meant to support, are now facing increased competition for accessible vehicles from passengers who do not need them. This has left many wheelchair users waiting longer and struggling to find the service they depend on.
The Taxis for Ireland Coalition strongly believes that the WAV grant programme must be protected and enhanced, but with a sharper focus. Grants should be increased and prioritised for those who are committed to providing accessible service to wheelchair users, rather than being issued on a first-come, first-served basis.”