Getting a hackney from Dublin's Citywest Hotel, outside the city, to the nearest uas station will cost you a setprice of 15, whereas the nine kilometre journey costs just 8.60 on the national taximeter. A hotel spokesperson said the setting of the prices is done by the hackney company involved and is completely independent of the hotel.

CAI chief executive, Dermot Jewell, said that was just one example of excessive prices being charged by the hackney industry. "They are taking advantage a little bit of the captive market you would have in the Citywest where people are a bit isolated, " he said. "But you see very high prices across the board. They are not meeting consumers on a normal business footing and take account of competition. Consumers will just opt to use taxis instead in the future, " he added.

Hackney representative, Christy Humphreys, general secretary of the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, conceded to the Sunday Tribune that hackney prices could run to double the cost of the taximeter but says that they are not excessive. "It's not a perfect comparison.

One is controlled and one is private hire. If a hackney drops someone off at somewhere like the airport, they can't turn around and pick up another passenger, " he said.

"Hackneys provide a guaranteed service, that doesn't include traffic wheras the taximeter is on for all of the journeys. In heavy traffic, the hackney price could work out just as good, especially if it's at night or for longer journeys on the more expensive tariff C, " he added.

Hackneys are not subject to the same levels of regulation as licensed taxis with meters which also means that consumers can negotiate a price with the driver. "People should remember they do have the right to negotiate with hackneys if they are asking for prices they feel are excessive, " said Humphreys.