They have also informed An Garda Síochána that all protest activity will be paused while engagement with Government takes place.
A spokesperson said: “We are acting in good faith. Pending the outcome of next week’s meeting, we have suspended further protest action and hope meaningful progress will be made on the issues facing taxi drivers.”
The suspension is temporary and subject to the outcome of the meeting.
The “national shutdown protest” over Uber’s new fixed rates was due to take place between Monday, December 8, and the following Saturday, December 13.
Organised by Taxi Drivers Ireland, the proposed six-day nationwide protest would see taxi drivers across Ireland escalating their action.
It came after four weeks of “warnings, protests, and direct appeals”, they said, adding that the Government has “failed to take any meaningful action to address the crisis engulfing the regulated taxi industry”.
Taxi Drivers Ireland added that any Dublin protests would be with the “full support” of their branches in Cork and Galway.
In a statement issued last night, a spokesperson said taxi drivers have been “ignored, dismissed, and pushed to breaking point”.
“The Government has chosen silence instead of responsibility,” said Derek O’Keeffe, a national spokesperson for Taxi Drivers Ireland.
“We have played by the rules and we have protested peacefully. We have asked to be heard, but nothing has changed. So now the Irish taxi industry is going up a gear.
“This is not a gesture. This is the full strength of the Irish taxi industry being brought to bear. We warned this would happen. Now it is happening.”
If the protest went ahead aa planned, taxi cars would have proceeded in convoy from Mountjoy Square to Merrion Square at 7am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and would remain parked there until 5pm.
Taxi drivers make their way past Government Buildings near Merrion Square during a protest on Wednesday this week. Photo: Frank McGrath
Today’s News in 90 – Friday December 5
The protest at Dublin Airport would have taken place at all holding areas and access locations from 4.30pm until 7.30pm on Tuesday and Thursday along with another protest at Dublin Airport on Saturday, taking place from 4pm until 6pm.
It would then be followed by a “rolling convoy” from the north and south going to the city centre, and entering Dame Street for a “slow rolling protest”.
“This schedule is not symbolic,” Mr O’Keefe previously said.
“It’s an economic reality. It’s working people saying ‘enough’. It’s drivers standing up not just for themselves, but for the future of public transport in Ireland.
“We are watching a regulated profession being dismantled in real time. There is no justification for continuing to ignore us. If the Government continues to look the other way, then disruption will continue and intensify.
“This is what happens when working people are left with no voice. We are not doing this lightly. We are doing it because we are being forced to.”
Several other protests have been staged by taxi drivers across the country in recent weeks.
They took place after Uber introduced a fixed-price model, guaranteeing a maximum fare upfront instead of an estimated price range that can rise with traffic or route changes.
The company has said the measure reduces “meter anxiety” and allows passengers to pay a lower amount if the fare comes in under the fixed price.
A spokesperson for Uber told the Irish Independent: “The simple truth is that drivers who take fixed price fares are earning more.”
“Passengers love knowing how much a fare will be, and it’s giving them the confidence to book more, which is creating more opportunities for drivers.
“This is a good outcome for both passengers and drivers, and we remain committed to offering the best possible service to everyone,” a spokesperson added.
Representatives of taxi drivers say the new model leads to drivers earning less during heavy traffic.
Taxi Drivers Ireland apologised to the members of the public for the disruption the protests in Dublin will likely cause.
“However, the responsibility lies squarely with those who have allowed the crisis to grow without intervention,” Mr O’Keefe added.
“We do not want protests, we want to work. But we will not quietly accept the destruction of our livelihoods.
“If the Government thinks this will blow over, they are badly mistaken. This is the beginning of a national reckoning for an industry that refuses to disappear quietly.”
The group added it is demanding “immediate engagement” from the Government, and “not statements, not excuses and not silence”.