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| Taxi bill 'could cost 450 jobs' | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A new law for taxi drivers could leave more than 450 of them out of work, a union spokesman has warned. | A new law for taxi drivers could leave more than 450 of them out of work, a union spokesman has warned. |
| The Taxis Bill, aimed at improving safety and standards in the industry, is being debated in the assembly. | |
| It will make it easier to clamp down on illegal drivers and will allow taxis to pick up fares without a booking. | It will make it easier to clamp down on illegal drivers and will allow taxis to pick up fares without a booking. |
| Environment Minister Arlene Foster told the assembly she could not see why it would lead to redundancies, given the increased demand for taxis in Belfast. | |
| Earlier, Sean Smith of the Transport and General Workers Union said he believed the bill would put drivers out of a job and destroy the industry. | |
| "The DoE are not telling the MLAs the truth, that there are people opposed to this," Mr Smith said. | "The DoE are not telling the MLAs the truth, that there are people opposed to this," Mr Smith said. |
| "This whole legislation will destroy the taxi industry as we know it in Northern Ireland. | "This whole legislation will destroy the taxi industry as we know it in Northern Ireland. |
| "It'll create jobs for bureaucrats and civil servants while putting 450 Belfast taxi drivers on the dole." | "It'll create jobs for bureaucrats and civil servants while putting 450 Belfast taxi drivers on the dole." |