Ask 8. Allow greater competition from regulated ride-hailing services

Introduction 

Ireland’s taxi market is not working for consumers. The number of taxis and similar services per person has fallen by almost 40% since 2008. If supply had kept pace with population growth, there would be almost 13,000 additional vehicles on the road serving Irish consumers.

The CCPC’s position is that the rules need to change to allow greater competition from regulated ride-hailing services. Ireland should facilitate the enhanced entry of regulated ride-hailing services to improve supply, availability and choice for consumers. This does not mean reducing passenger safeguards. Any new entrants should be subject to appropriate passenger and vehicle safety standards.

Why it matters 

In 2025, CCPC-commissioned research found that 57% of respondents who expressed a view said there were not enough taxis in their area. The problem is particularly acute outside Dublin, with only 30% of people in Munster and 21% in Connacht/Ulster reporting that there are enough taxis in their area.

The same research found that four in 10 people who tried to get a taxi in December 2025 reported difficulty doing so, including no vehicles being available, long waiting times, cancellations or refused trips. Reliable supply is essential to the functioning of the night-time economy and to ensuring that consumers can get home safely, access work, attend appointments and participate in social and economic life.

International evidence shows that ride-hailing can increase overall supply when allowed to operate alongside traditional taxis. In London, following the entry of ride hailing in 2013, total licensed vehicles increased from 72,000 to 107,000 in 2024. This indicates that ride-hailing can add supply and choice, rather than simply replacing traditional taxis.

The main barrier to ride-hailing service entry in Ireland is the requirement that all new taxis and hackneys be wheelchair accessible vehicles. This requirement imposes higher upfront costs on new entrants, limits the ability of drivers to use their own vehicles, and constrains the ability of app-based ride-hailing models to scale. Based on the available evidence, Ireland is the only country in Europe with a national rule requiring all new licences for taxis and similar services to be issued exclusively for wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Wheelchair accessibility must remain a core policy objective. However, in practice, given how low the taxi numbers are, the current requirement does not mean wheelchair users can reliably access a service. Other jurisdictions use system-wide measures, including financial incentives, centralised booking systems and non-discrimination obligations, to support accessibility without making all new drivers buy expensive vehicles.

How we can do this 

The NTA should use its forthcoming consultation on dispatch operator regulation to consider broader reform of the regulatory framework for taxis and similar services. The consultation should assess how regulation can support increased supply, reliable availability, stronger competition and better outcomes for consumers.

The NTA should consult on reforms to facilitate the entry of regulated ride-hailing services. This should include allowing licensed drivers to use suitable standard vehicles to provide pre-booked ride-hailing services through dispatch operators, subject to appropriate safety, insurance, vehicle and consumer protection requirements.

The NTA should also review the wider wheelchair accessible vehicle requirement and consult on replacing the current blanket rule with an outcomes-based accessibility framework. The objective should be to ensure that wheelchair users can reliably access suitable services when they need them. As an interim measure, the NTA should remove the wheelchair accessible vehicle requirement for hackneys while wider reform is considered.

Finally, the NTA should strengthen data collection across the market for taxis and similar services, including on journey volumes, service availability, wheelchair accessible journeys and unmet demand. Better data is needed to assess whether reforms are improving supply, accessibility and consumer outcomes.

Further reading 

Research conducted by Ipsos B&A on behalf of the CCPC, Attitudes to Taxi Services (2026).