Last week, taxi regulator Margaret Doyle said there had been 348 complaints against taxi drivers in the first six months of the year. Driver conduct was the biggest grievance, accounting for 155 complaints, followed by overcharging (124 complaints), hiring of a vehicle (56) and vehicle cleanliness (13).

Doyle said that with 23,500 taxis in operation nationwide, two complaints a day was relatively low. But she told the Sunday Tribune last week that the training programme will now be mandatory for all new taxi drivers by early 2008 and for all existing drivers by 2009 on renewal of their licence.

"The programme has yet to be fully developed but it will include route selection and area knowledge, equality and diversity training, customer care, fares and charges, health and safety, personal security and opportunities to innovate, " said Doyle.

She acknowledged that while there had been some resistance to the programme from older and more experienced taxi drivers who felt they didn't need it, she said skills and development training "should be viewed not as a cost but as an investment which will bring an overall sense of pride in the profession".

John Ussher, president of the Irish Taxi Federation, confirmed that it welcomed the training for new entrants but had sought the inclusion of a 'grandfather clause' excusing taxi drivers with 20 or 30 years' experience.

"If at 60 years of age you are not polite to the customer, a training programme is not going to change that. You can't be taught how to be polite", Ussher said.

He said Federation members are fearful because they have not been told exactly what is involved in the scheme.

"It is still unclear whether the course will involve a test at the end and whether it will be necessary to pass this test to get a licence or whether it is required just to attend the course, " said Ussher.

With respect to route knowledge, Ussher said the federation favours the introduction of a practical exam in which a tester will get into the taxi and tell the driver to go to an address by the most efficient route.

Currently, gardai in the carriage office test taxi drivers on route knowledge before they are given a public service vehicle licence. But Ussher said this is a written exam.

"It's of little value to know that Capel Street is off Henry Street and Mary Street (in Dublin). It's another thing to get there through the traffic and the one-way system, " he said.