The National Transport Authority has said taxi fares will increase from next Thursday by an average of 12%, while every taxi in Ireland must also accept credit and debit card payments as well as cash from that date.
NTA Director of Public Transport Regulation Wendy Thompson said the NTA reviews the maximum fare every two years, taking both drivers and passengers into account.
"The full fare review examined all the running costs that a driver has to pay to give a taxi service in today's economic environment, so that includes the fuel prices, the energy prices, cost of vehicles and so on," she said, adding that they also account for the macro environment and cost of living changes for passengers and drivers.
"This time, because of what is going on the post-pandemic environment and reinvigorated socialising, we also heavily evaluated passenger demand and how it has altered from pre-Covid times, particularly for midnight travels which are up 45%," Ms Thompson continued on RTÉ's News At One.
Ms. Thompson pointed out that considering the state of the nation, cab drivers decided not to accept a 5% fare rise that was scheduled to be handed to them in 2020.
She explained, "This increase will take into account all cost adjustments and everything up to this point."
In order to encourage more drivers to work nights, Ms. Thompson claimed that the NTA weighed the increase "heavily" in favour of the nighttime economy, "where demand has started outstripping supply."
Even the largest increase, she continued, was "less than half or a fourth of a late night drink... but it is a choice" for some of the lengthier trips in the greater Dublin area.
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