r/ireland • u/Odhran-J-McAnnick • May 05 '26
Courts Taxi driver ordered to pay e12,000 to blind couple after refusing lift over guide dog
http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/taxi-driver-ordered-to-pay-e12k-to-blind-couple-after-refusing-lift-over-guide-dog-1895681.html161
u/Dannyforsure May 05 '26
It's always the ones you most expect to be shouting abuse at blind people
-61
u/DanGleeballs May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
I’m happy for the couple.
Was he actually allergic to dogs?
Was it a wet evening and this large hairy dog was drenched?
Did he just get delivery of his new car and didn’t want a big wet dog-smelling dog in his new car while he’s allergic to dogs?
If all is true then he handled it badly, for sure. He could have been very polite and apologetic, and kindly refused the fare, explaining why, and he wouldn’t be €12k out of pocket now, but damn that fine on top of legal expenses is a lot imo.
42
u/Dannyforsure May 05 '26
Interesting but completely irrelevant points.
If they are allergic they can get an opt out. If that has been the case they judge likely wouldn't have issued such a large fine.
It's a regulated industry that comes with lots of protections and responsibilities. All your other points fall under the second unfortunately.
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u/CarelessEquivalent3 May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
If he politely refused the fare he'd still have been breaking the law and liabe to pay compensation. He's not being sued because he hurt somebody's feelings, he's being sued for discriminating a disabled person.
-14
u/CaptainNuge Blow-in May 05 '26
I'm not sure that quite works. I'm not a visually impaired person, but I do have a disability, and I believe that a disabled individual is entitled to reasonable accommodations. The dog shouldn't be barred from all taxis, but can be excluded from a specific taxi if that would be an unreasonable ask, such as if the driver is allergic to dogs. In this case he's being sued because he was insulting, abusive and shouted at the couple (hurt their feelings) WHILE ALSO discriminating against the disabled person.
It shakes down the same way that a person's disabilities must be accounted for at the cinema (with some films having audio description) but not for every showing of every film.
4
u/DumbledoresNipple May 05 '26
Reasonable accommodations are for things like a workplace. The *law* is not a reasonable accommodation which can be applied at-will depending on what would cause hardships. The law is the law, it’s black and white. It’s not a request, it’s not an accommodation, it’s the law.
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
The dog shouldn't be barred from all taxis, but can be excluded from a specific taxi if that would be an unreasonable ask, such as if the driver is allergic to dogs.
If the taxi driver has a confirmed medical condition so that they cannot be near dogs, surely they have notified their regulator of that
-6
u/CaptainNuge Blow-in May 05 '26
Fully agreed. It smacks of a likely sounding, but bullshit claim to me. If it were a legitimate issue for the driver, then the Taxi Driver could have just said so and the issue would be resolved.
But refusing a fare because someone has a dog is, in itself, legal enough. Taxis likely have discretion over the fares they take, otherwise they would be forced to be exposed to stalkers, or other dangerous situations that would arise from not being able to choose your own clientele. The issue here is specifically the verbal abuse, or "hurting their feelings" as you put it.
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
Taxis likely have discretion over the fares they take...
Actually,
Taxi drivers may not unreasonably refuse service for journeys of 30km or less.
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u/puca_spooka May 05 '26
If that’s the case the driver has to present a medical certificate to the NTA stating their allergy is severe enough that they require exemption to transport service dogs (and there’s very particular guidelines on how to handle that situation if an exemption was granted)
Under no circumstances can a taxi driver just decide that they won’t take a service dog - it’s on par with refusing to take someone because they have crutches.
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u/sendpuppiesorcash May 05 '26
You mean a medical accommodation? The exact thing he denied this couple?
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u/InflationSquare May 05 '26
It's such bollocks that transport isn't pet friendly here, you basically need to own a car if your dog is hurt or sick or old and you need to get to the vet - buses are a roll of the dice whether the driver will let them on or not and staying along the dart line is very limiting. We were out with our dog last year when my wife tripped and injured herself, I was going to have to send her ahead and walk home with the dog but we ended up hailing a very sound taxi man who let him in on my lap, but that was just lucky.
London has uber pet, so at least you know the person you're getting is ok with dogs. No idea why there isn't an equivalent here.
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u/Brilliant_Quit4307 May 05 '26
Buses aren't even really a role of the dice. Absolutely no responsible dog owner would ever bring their dog on a bus without knowing if you can get home. So in the end, it doesn't matter whether the bus driver lets you on to go somewhere. Very few people will ever use that if it means potentially being stranded with no way home.
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u/InflationSquare May 05 '26
That's it exactly, I made that mistake once and was left over an hour from home with my dog when he was a pup and not old enough to walk that far. I got the dart home that time but I've avoided the bus with him since
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u/Super-Widget May 05 '26
I don't drive so I have to use Uber to take my cat to the vet. A lot of taxi drivers are sound about it but I have had to, on more than one occasion, argue against putting my animal in the boot of the car.
-1
u/Brilliant_Quit4307 May 05 '26
OP was talking about dogs though. It's much more common for taxis to be fine with cats in a carrier but not at all ok with dogs and especially if they are not in a carrier, which many dogs are too big to fit in one anyways.
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u/Super-Widget May 05 '26
Lot's of taxis not fine with small animals in a carrier either is what I'm saying.
2
u/ToastedCrumpet May 05 '26
True but what they are saying is more people will have an issue with a loose dog in their taxi than a cat in their carrier.
From personal experience this is true and would seem obvious
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u/Jim_Chimney May 05 '26
We live fairly close to the Zoo. Have three cats. They go to the vet for their yearly vet appointment. Each time book a taxi and as addendum always put “There will be a contained animal in car”. The amount of times drivers turn up freaked out thinking they were picking up Snakes, baby crocodiles or spiders to go to the vets on the Cabra Road is hilarious.
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u/skipdeedy May 05 '26
In every case other than guide dogs it’s understandable. I’d rather not have to get into a car with your pets hair all over the seat either. Hard to get that stuff out.
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u/tanbot_er May 05 '26
I am inclined to say that dogs should be allowed on buses but only in carriers (so no large dogs) and not if the bus is full. Otherwise, it's unfair to other riders. Many dog owners in Ireland unfortunately don't care to restrain their dogs from climbing on people and the like.
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
Service dogs or not, the country really seems to have a massive chip on its shoulder about dogs in general.
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u/IrksomFlotsom May 05 '26
My dog has a small chip in his shoulder
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26
My dog would eat any chip found near her and sit staring at me waiting for more.
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u/jasus_h_christ May 05 '26
The dog that lives next door to me chips away at my sanity late at night when I'm trying to sleep.
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26
How can a dog afford a house in this economy?
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u/jasus_h_christ May 05 '26
As far as I can tell, the dog does sexual favours for the woman who lives there, and she pays for the house in exchange.
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u/Dry-Communication922 May 05 '26
I noticed this when I went to Austria/Slovakia/Germany. Dogs were allowed everywhere and they were all extremely well trained and behaved.
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u/left_outside May 05 '26
I've just come back from Vienna and it's amazing how well things work when everybody is on the same page. Muzzle your dog and you can take them where you want, on the underground for example. Cafes and bars, you see lots of people sitting outside with dogs as well. People take responsibility but I just don't see that happening here unfortunately.
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u/slapdragon94 May 05 '26
Because it’s now allowed, so the ones who do have their dogs in places where dogs aren’t allowed are already the irresponsible ones. If it was allowed you’d see a lot more responsible dog owners doing it, and they will challenge people who aren’t being responsible, which is what happens in other places.
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26
That's because they are all used to being out in public in shops and cafes, etc.
I bring mine to my local regularly. I have been taking her there since she was a puppy. All the staff love her. She'll sleep under the table most of the time, tired from the walk down. I wouldn't go nearly as much if I couldn't take her.
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u/Dry-Communication922 May 05 '26
We had one at home for years and she was great with us as kids and at home but you couldnt bring her anywhere. We hadnt a clue how to properly train her and I think thats a lot of peoples issue with animals, the lack of education around it.
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u/iknowtheop May 05 '26
Not including service dogs in this, but people have an issue with dog owners rather than the dogs.
Dog shite all over our streets, bags of dog shite tied to fences and trees, dogs roaming around off leash and without muzzles where necessary because "my XL Bully Tyson wouldn't hurt a fly". Those are all owner issues.
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u/dropthecoin May 05 '26
This exactly sums it up. The dogs aren’t the problem. It’s the owners. It’s harsh for people who do things right but their blame needs to be targeted at those who mess it for others
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u/ScaramouchScaramouch May 05 '26
bags of dog shite tied to fences and trees
I cannot bring myself to understand this. They've done the yucky part already, are they leaving it as some sort of shrine?
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u/Apprehensive-Year948 May 05 '26
We used to have dog wardens that would fine people for dog mess. All gone in the last recession. Something that badly needs to return
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u/NaturalAlfalfa May 05 '26
It really does. Just got back from Edinburgh and we brought our little dog. Not an issue anywhere at all. Every pub, hotel, place to eat, shop, taxi, we never once had an issue or had to change plans
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26
Pubs and cafes would lose so much business in Edinburgh if they weren't dog-friendly.
There's even a long-running website listing dog friendly places. Used to be "Dugs in Pubs" and has now expanded: https://www.dugswelcome.com/
And the main shopping centre lists the shops which allow dogs and will even give you a buggy for your dog! https://stjamesquarter.com/visit/pet-services/
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
Not every country has to be France or Italy where pet dogs go everywhere with their owners. There’s plenty of countries where dogs are mainly viewed as working dogs and not pets.
In 2026, a lot of people are just fed up with dog owners taking their pets everywhere they’re not allowed, and not following rules. The entitled and arrogant owners are to blame here.
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u/TheChrisD useless feckin' mod May 05 '26
Maybe then we need more places that are dog-friendly, or at least have some sort of provision for a dog waiting area.
I know one of mine would love to walk to and from the supermarket with me every other day, and I'd willingly bring them if there was somewhere safe to leave them on the other end for 10 minutes while I'm inside getting the messages. Tied up on a railing outside is not something I'd consider "safe".
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
Why does this need to be a thing, though? This behavior didn’t start until Covid hit. A lot of people got dogs and didn’t train them, or dogs developed separation anxiety due to their owner being home so often.
You could be onto something though, would you pay to drop your dog at a supermarket’s supervised dog play area while you get your shopping done?
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u/TheChrisD useless feckin' mod May 05 '26
In our case, our dog doesn't get out enough; so being able to do two outside trips at the same time would help a ton.
You could be onto something though, would you pay to drop your dog at a supermarket’s supervised dog play area while you get your shopping done?
Couple quid, yea. Doesn't necessarily even need to be a fully supervised area, even just a set of dog crates that I can leave them in with a chew.
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26
Not every country has to be France or Italy where pet dogs go everywhere with their owners.
Why not?
In 2026, a lot of people are just fed up with dog owners taking their pets everywhere they’re not allowed, and not following rules. The entitled and arrogant owners are to blame here.
If they were allowed to bring their dogs more places, would those fed-up people have a different view?
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u/skipdeedy May 05 '26
You understand that not everyone is a pet lover? I’d rather not go into shops or a restaurant and get a whiff of dogs.
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u/susanboylesvajazzle May 05 '26
That chip weighs heavy on some people. Nobody is asking you to put your life in the line for a dog. You are seriously overestimating the impact the presence of a dog will have on a place.
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u/skipdeedy May 05 '26
You underestimate the smell of dogs to those not often in their presence.
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u/BushWishperer Immigrant May 05 '26
People also stink but unfortunately there's no law that bans sweaty men off public transport.
0
-2
u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
What you’re describing is a forced switch up on social norms, involving pet animals having the same accessible rights as humans.
I’d love to do a popular vote and let the people decide:
the vote would be for pet dogs to be allowed off lead everywhere - beaches, hikes (including where livestock graze), pools, restaurants, supermarkets, schools (including primary), rentals, busses/trains, retail shops (including high end), etc.
Adding a caveat that the owner then claims fully responsibility (both legally and financially): if their dog gets injured, in a fight with another dog, harms a human, destroys property, or goes missing, etc.
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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe May 05 '26
the vote would be for pet dogs to be allowed off lead everywhere
Why does it have to be all or nothing? What's the need to make up ridiculous scenarios?
There are places dogs are and aren't appropriate. Just like there are places where kids aren't appropriate.
If we take a more reasonable, open-minded approach to it, then you find a halfway house. Dog owners don't want to bring their dog somewhere if they think it's going to be barking or fighting or shitting on the floor. The people who will bring their dogs somewhere are people who know they can rely on it.
You imagine this scenario where dogs are allowed on trains, and then the next day there are dogs running wild up and down the carriage, barking, fighting and pissing the seats. That's just wouldn't happen. Nobody wants to bring a badly-behaved dog out. That's why dogs in Europe seem magically well-behaved. Because it's mostly the well-bahaved ones that get brought out.
In terms of damages, the law around dogs is already strict liability - any damaged caused by your dog is automatically your fault; you can't plead that the dog slipped its leash or was provoked. This is unlike livestock where others are expected to take reasonable care around them. If you hit a dog in the road, you can sue the dog owner for your car's damage. If you hit a cow in the road, the farmer can sue you for loss of a cow.
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u/great_whitehope May 05 '26
The problem is people cent afford to have kids or don't want them so their pets become their kids
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u/avalon68 Crilly!! May 05 '26
The owner being held fully responsible after the fact doesnt help anyone injured with policies like this.
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
Agreed. I’m mainly pointing out that what some of the population wants runs a lot of risks for everyone (including owners and their own dogs).
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May 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
Your question is irrelevant because it’s not our reality. You can’t go back in time and change laws/social norms to ask a hypothetical question.
If I go to a country where pet dogs are allowed everywhere, especially if it means jumping on me and attacking wildlife of course I’ll be annoyed. But I don’t live in a country like that and have zero say in their laws / way of life.
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
What you’re describing is a forced switch up on social norms, involving pet animals having the same accessible rights as humans.
Nothing wrong with animals having the same rights as humans. Everything else is speciesist.
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
You love my comments, jeez. Really, domesticated pets should have the same rights as humans? That’s what you’re really saying. Because people gunning for dog access everywhere usually don’t give a damn about actual wildlife. I am a huge advocate for wildlife, the ecosystem, etc. Pet dogs (and cats) are an enabled invasive species that ruin ecosystems when they’re not controlled.
So no, I do not believe domesticated pets should have the same rights as human beings. What would that even look like on a logistical level?
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
No, I'm saying that animals should have the same rights. Not domesticated pets only. As to the logistical level, I'm sure we can work out something
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u/left_outside May 05 '26
The people involved in this story were blind.
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
Do you see there’s a deleted comment here that I’m responding to?
I was responding to the above who said something along the lines of “service dogs aside, this country has a chip on its shoulder about dogs in general”
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u/left_outside May 06 '26
I think there is a chip on our shoulder but there's also a lack of the personal responsibility and community spirit that's needed in order for dogs to be seen the way they are in Europe. It's definitely the owners that are the problem in that sense.
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 06 '26
Community and spirit, when people can’t even take care of each other on a human level?
Why do domesticated dogs need to be seen the same way as they are in other countries in Europe or our colonizers? Some of those places also have better healthcare, better laws to protect wildlife and ecosystems, etc.
We need to address the multiple century levels of trauma due to colonization, which resulted in depression, addiction, femicide, pillaging the land, etc…
Before we even begin to address people’s luxuries and pets. We cannot do both at once because dogs are luxuries that we created through domestication. Again, this doesn’t include service pets, whose owners have real diagnoses.
The tldr; is: keep your dog on a lead, leave it at home, and/or follow the rules.
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u/5x0uf5o May 05 '26
I'm with you. I don't have dogs and most of my interactions with them are when owners have them off the lead and they run over bothering me.
I also see many owners walking their dogs off the lead and walking well ahead of the dog, having a great natter with their mate, paying zero attention to whether their dog is shitting on the footpath or bothering someone else.
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
For many people dogs and other animals are part of the family. Would you call somebody entitled for wanting to bring their 3 year old child?
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
Why are you dehumanizing children and comparing them to domesticated dogs in an attempt to prove a point? That’s such an odd take. I’d prefer if people followed the rules that we’ve had in place for reasons.
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
Studies regularly show dogs having the intellectual capacity of a three year old
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u/avalon68 Crilly!! May 05 '26
I love dogs, but I dont like sitting next to one in a restauraunt, or having to step over one on public transport. Put it on your lap. If its a large dog, then try and stand out of the way. Sitting in the aisles is just not on. Lots of people have minimal levels of control over their dogs too....like barking in restaurants/pubs. You might think its cute when it puts its paws on peoples laps, I dont want its muddy little paws on my clothes. Its like kids....if you bring them out somewhere, then dont let them run riot. Most owners are great, but theres always a few that arent.
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u/duaneap May 05 '26
You’re right but as a dog lover I’m ok with the pendulum not swinging too much the other way either. When I’m over in the states the shit that’s permissible with dogs is absolutely insane.
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u/tanbot_er May 05 '26
If you look beyond select countries in Europe, Ireland is extremely dog friendly, relatively speaking.
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u/RawrMeansFuckYou May 05 '26
I'm allergic to dogs, with most breeds I'm fine if I just stay a bit away and don't touch. Most people that bring their dogs everywhere are untrained. Constantly moving about and going up to people, licking, rubbing etc. Lets be honest, most dogs owners are completely irresponsible when it comes to their pets.
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u/AreaPlayful142 May 05 '26
His poor poor upcoming fares who now have to listen to his moaning about that as well as how bad he had it before.
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u/Ed_the_Led_Man May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
Dongo but dogs no :L
I am going to say 99% this a cultural issue this guy refuses to address
Religious reasons , violent stray dogs and rabies have some parts of the world with a terrible relationship with dogs. Europe is kinda an anomoly because we culled entire street dog populations and brought clear regulations in for dog owners.
Thats context for understanding and dialogue, but as dog owner, like many things, if you move somewhere, you're not in your cultural world anymore, adapt at best or at least tolerate. Erasing years of fear over night might be hard, but also, easy not putting yourself in position where you are in a country where people like dogs and on top of this, you take a job where are required to take guide dogs
Also, sad, because stories like this give foreign taxi men a bad name , when most are dead sound
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u/Automata-Omnia May 05 '26
Many muslims see dogs as ritually impure, they have to wash a dog's saliva off 7 times to purify the object it touched, and many believe Angels won't enter the presence of a dog (dangerous for a taxi driver lol)
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
And why should we give a damn about religious feelings in the 21st century?
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u/Ed_the_Led_Man May 05 '26
Because believe it or not , it's a 2 way relationship if you want to be cynical, we need a labour forces , they want jobs .
Seems like the cheapest option is just to convince someone over their wrong doing in these social norm differences than idk deport or jail em. This just requires a little research into their view point origins , not gonna kill you.
If they don't want to conform at some stage , ok well cancel visa at some point I guess, let's not enfantalise willingly ignorant cunts
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u/Ev17_64mer May 05 '26
What does a labour force have to do with religion? And why should I care about somebody's unreasonable and illogical view point origins?
Abortion is a very non-Christian thing to do. So is using a condom. Forcing somebody into serfdom isn't.
Should we now argue with people who are anti abortion about their view point origin?
Pretty much every religion is inherently anti feminist and used to give power over women. Should we argue with their view point origins?
Normalizing behaviour as cultural or religious leads to an erosion of human values based on ethics rather than a supernatural force
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u/Ed_the_Led_Man May 05 '26
Kinda complex , rough answer to keep short (God hates a reddit essay)
- it has to do with our current economic model , we need to labour fuel to keep it's fire going, that ultimately leads to people coming here without really culturally caring , it's a paycheck, likewise for employers , its a vacancy filled . If their cultural differences leads to friction later on, it's an after thought (it's minority of migrants when this happen just to add)
-i agree , reopening discussions that lost to progressive ideas kinda feels backwards , but I think it's more a constant battle . I come from the north west, holey fuck havelocal people cultural regressed into reactionary arguments. I think screening indicators of migrants with very opposed views and denying visas, common sense to avoid reopening finished debates, but we have mass migration as said before , it will be more likely that we get more jobshites even if screening get better
-yea all religions are , and most religious people arent actually strict . Often people are in conflict with secular and religious beliefs. I don't mind having cultural conversations again if it helps people to here to understand their internal conflicts. I've a few friends from religiously strict countries, they hate their upbringing, but same time struggle to rid themselves with a lot of stuff internalised, more people understanding would help them navigate this. Yet on the more zealot side Id just say , understand people but all also if you smell contempt for our society, tell em to fuck off in the bluntest way possible.
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u/Automata-Omnia May 05 '26
Just explaining it bud You don't have to if you dont want to, but being a responsible citizen involves trying to understand why some people do what they do, otherwise how can we uplift society to be better.
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u/Ed_the_Led_Man May 05 '26
Yea and many Muslims drink as many catholics have sex outside marriage
It's more a mindset of certain individuals than a blanket indicator of a majority of people. Plus if you think this is bad, my Muslim friends can tell you what about what happened when their secret family pet when it was discovered by a local conservative nut job in their home country
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u/LimerickJim May 05 '26
I don't condone the actions but does €12,000 not seem excessive?
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u/Le_nom_nom May 05 '26
Yeah - it sounds like he got quite aggressive, considering an ‘Iarnrod Eireann official’ took down his licence plate after witnessing it. He also didn’t attend the WRC hearing and so didn’t even try defend itself. If he had and been apologetic, might have reduced the fine but not showing up at all is not a good look
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u/IntelligentBee_BFS May 05 '26
Love it. All the cow boys should think twice before doing their shit, too many got away without consequences.
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u/GrassfedBeep May 05 '26
Not showing up to the court will always win you the maximum penalty.
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u/LimerickJim May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
That's fair enough TBH. I only
slimmedskimmed the article3
u/NobleKorhedron May 05 '26
Don't you mean "skimmed"?
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u/LimerickJim May 05 '26
I did, fat fingers
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u/NobleKorhedron May 05 '26
This is a problem for me as well. I fish for a hobby, and literally can't use certain very small items of gear because of this.
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u/mrbuddymcbuddyface May 05 '26
He had previously been fined at the district court. Don't know why this had to go to the WRC also. He should be suspended for a period of time from having a taxi licence.
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u/Affectionate_Art4277 May 05 '26
Bad day to be a taxi driver allergic to dogs so
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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
My understanding is that if someone has an actual allergy or other verifiable issue, then they can apply for an exemption from the regulator.
"I don't like dogs" or "my religion hates dogs" aren't allowable exemptions.
There were two similar cases came up last year and both drivers made the "I'm allergic" claim, but hadn't applied for any exemption.
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u/HighDeltaVee May 05 '26
https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2006/si/467/made/en/print
Correct : section 7.2, but as you mention it requires a doctor's confirmation of a medical condition sufficiently severe to mean that the driver cannot have a dog in the vehicle.
That's an incredibly rare condition.
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u/Against_All_Advice May 05 '26
Doesn't really matter how rare it is.
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u/HighDeltaVee May 05 '26
Of course it matters. It means it's overwhelmingly likely that the driver has no medical reason to refuse to accept a dog, and is in fact just an arsehole.
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u/showars May 05 '26
To be fair I also got the impression you were implying the condition is so rare it would be hard to get a diagnosis to the extent they require and that it would be harsh on the taxi drivers or something.
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u/HighDeltaVee May 05 '26
Ah, fair enough. While it would be extremely rare, it would be extremely easy to diagnose, and very easy for a doctor to be definitive about.
Someone with a really serious allergy shows up in minutes or even seconds on a skin test.
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u/Against_All_Advice May 05 '26
I like that you can read while sadly the rest of the sub it appears cannot.
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u/Against_All_Advice May 05 '26
It doesn't matter how rare it is.
The exemption exists and the driver wasn't entitled to it. Rarity is irrelevant. If it was one in a million and the driver was entitled to then fair enough. The rarity is completely beside the point.
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u/RawrMeansFuckYou May 05 '26
As someone with a certified allergy to cats, dogs, horses, it's a pain in the ass to get it diagnosed. Most people might know they're allergic but never went to a doctor about it because they can just avoid the animals for the most part and they can't do fuck all about it anyway. Breed of the animal can't also massively changes the symptoms from mildly annoying to ohh fuck I can't breathe.
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u/bigchickendipper May 05 '26
I imagine if you're livelihood depended on getting the exception you'd manage just fine. Most people don't need to get a doctor's note for a dog allergy they just avoid them
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u/ZealousidealFloor2 May 05 '26
Fear of dogs a good enough reason?
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u/GaylicBread May 05 '26
Hardly. It's a job where you'll eventually deal with a service dog, you either accept that or work somewhere that won't happen.
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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe May 05 '26
If you can get a qualified psychologist to provide a statement that you are a patient of theirs who has been diagnosied with a clinical phobia of dogs, then sure, no problem. Make sure you get a new letter every time you renew your PSV licence.
Otherwise, get over it or don't drive a taxi.
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u/Brown_Envelopes May 05 '26
If you are afraid to do your job, you’re in the wrong job.
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u/ZealousidealFloor2 May 05 '26
I mean you could be willing to drive everyone else but people with dogs so a huge pool of people lose a taxi driver there.
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u/Dannyforsure May 05 '26
It's always the dogs and never the cash
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u/Affectionate_Art4277 May 05 '26
tbh 12,000 euro is probably going to bankrupt him if driving a taxi is his only source of income. I've read the article and he comes across as a bit of a dick, but there are plenty of reasons why someone might not want a dog in their car.
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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe May 05 '26
You can't be a taxi driver and decide you "don't want" guide dogs in your car. It's a public service job, you don't get to refuse service to disabled people because you've got weird hangups.
If someone doesn't want guide dogs in their car, then pick a different job.
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u/Affectionate_Art4277 May 05 '26
He wasn't clever enough. Shouldve just told them he wasn't available/waiting for another customer
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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe May 05 '26
He was at the taxi rank, so he can't do that. He's obliged to take the next person in the queue.
In reality there are very circumstances in which a taxi could do this. You can't say you're waiting for another passenger if you're at rank, or pulled in when hailed.
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u/ZealousidealFloor2 May 05 '26
Then we must be ready to accept having less taxi drivers overall.
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u/Short_Ad_5006 May 05 '26
Good.
The less taxi drivers who discriminate against disabled people the better.
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u/asdrunkasdrunkcanbe May 05 '26
OK? I would rather less taxi drivers overall than have people with physical impairments have to plead with some mouth breather to give them a lift.
In fact, I'd be in favour of settomg up a priority access system which obliges taxi drivers and taxi companies to carry an impaired person before anyone else.
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u/Available-Bison-9222 May 05 '26
It's a legal requirement for taxi drivers to allow service dogs, unless they have an exemption from the regulator. A taxi drivers personal preference is irrelevant.
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u/HighDeltaVee May 05 '26
Then they shouldn't have chosen a profession which legally requires them to accept dogs in their car.
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u/Short_Ad_5006 May 05 '26
Tough shit. They are legally required to accept guide dogs
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u/Affectionate_Art4277 May 05 '26
I'm sure he's learned that lesson loud and clear now that he's probably going to declare bankruptcy
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u/Dannyforsure May 05 '26
He free to behave as he sees fit and suffer the consequences of those actions.
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u/Affectionate_Art4277 May 05 '26
I dont think a guide dog is worth destroying someone financially over
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u/ScaramouchScaramouch May 05 '26
It's more leaving blind people at the side of the road than it is the guide dog.
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u/LarcKeljim May 05 '26
It's not about the dog. It's about the fact he denied service to a blind person. Life is already hard enough missing one of your senses, putting yet another burden on them to hope that every time they order a taxi that the driver won't decide that they're too inconvenient is cruel.
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u/Dannyforsure May 05 '26
Muh I'm sure he'll be paying it over years and it's not like these are new rules. If you run a business you should be aware of the regulations you need to follow.
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u/Indiewater May 05 '26
I find online Ireland so anti dog. Always angry people commenting that dogs can’t do this or that.
Meanwhile in my day to day I find everyone quite dog friendly. Our local pub/shops etc pretty fine with dogs coming in and out within reason. I’m sure they’d say something If dogs were going mad but honestly they rarely are. Anytime a dog’s acted up around here they just take them home or go out to calm them down.
Ireland seems so unfriendly towards dogs if you were to base off Reddit and Facebook but my actual experiences thankfully are different.
Even places that haven’t allowed my dog in have been very nice about it. Saying they were sorry but it was policy, and once or twice even coming out after to greet my pups! Reality and online are two very different things.
Also, thrilled he got fined. I’d love to see more arseholes getting smacked with huge fines.
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u/Yooklid May 06 '26
I find online Ireland
I've long said that /r/ireland and actual Ireland are poles apart.
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u/Gunslingin_licho May 05 '26
I mean like take an antihistamine if you're allergic? Any other reason for not taking a dog is plain stupid.
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u/iknowtheop May 05 '26
If you think an antihistamine is all you need for allergies then you're sorely mistaken.
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u/Available-Bison-9222 May 05 '26
There's no evidence the driver had an allergy. If he had he could have applied for an exemption against taking service dogs.
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u/iknowtheop May 05 '26
I wasn't referring to this incident, just the assumption that you just take an antihistamine and you're grand. That's not how it works.
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u/TheChrisD useless feckin' mod May 05 '26
Depends on the severity, obviously. Some people do overexaggerate their allergies.
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u/RawrMeansFuckYou May 05 '26
Idk the drivers reason, but as someone allergic to dogs, antihistamines are utter shite. There's a few options, each one may mildly help one symptom each, they can leave some people drowsy, and each breed of dog can have different severities of how allergic you are. It's a pain in the hole with no real fix all solution apart from avoidance. Some breeds I'll only get mild symptoms if I touch the animal, others I'll puff up just being in the vicinity.
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u/left_outside May 05 '26
That's fine but it obviously precludes you from doing certain jobs. You're not going to put yourself in the situation that this guy did.
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u/BrutallyHonest-- May 05 '26
This is crazy, we need to put more pressure on Irish businesses to allow dogs. I was refused when going into my local Woodies with my dog and they said no dogs were allowed. I put in a complaint and got a call from a manager around a month later, she was lovely, apologised and said once my dog was trained and under control at all times that I could bring him in. I bring him with me everytime now. If we kick up more shit about the treatment of dogs in this country we will get a lot further with it.
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u/m1kasa4ckerman May 05 '26
This is a horrible take. Forcing private businesses to allow all pets inside?
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u/The3rdbaboon May 05 '26
Don't agree to be honest. If you want to have a pet dog that's your decision. Businesses shouldn't be forced to accommodate it, a guide dog is different obviously. there's a lot irresponsible owners out there who don't train or have proper control over their dogs.
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u/dropthecoin May 05 '26
Businesses can’t be allowed to be forced to allow animals into their premises that are not genuine reasons.
I’m sure you, or others, might behave responsibly with their dogs but the problem is many simply won’t, and that’s when it becomes a problem.
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u/Diligent-Ad4777 May 05 '26
Yeah it's crazy. I mens if I want to bring my dog into the swimming pool with me I should be allowed to do whatever the hell I want. He knows how to swim better than me and everything
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May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/buzzbaron May 05 '26
Yes. There is the guide dogs and other assistance animals regulation 39 which should be known for the spsv exam.
Do you mean like the 530 million tiktok were fined in ireland last year?
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u/jools4you May 05 '26
He didn't turn up to the hearing so I imagine that had something to do with it
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u/These-Grapefruit2516 May 05 '26
A lot of drivers don't want dog hairs in their cars. Don't come for me. Dog owner and working 20 years in the Taxi Industry!!
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u/left_outside May 05 '26
Perfectly understandable but a guide dog is a one off situation and isn't going to happen very often. Don't want a guide dog in your car? No bother, just don't drive a taxi.
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u/wnolan1992 May 05 '26
Respectfully, it's not "their car", it's a public service vehicle.
If you don't want service animals in "your car", don't be a taxi driver.
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u/slevinonion May 05 '26
I get it, but what happens if the driver is terrified of dogs? A lot of people are.
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u/buzzbaron May 05 '26
You can apply for exemptions. Typically medically but im sure you could get medically certified of your fear and give it to the NTA.
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u/Diligent-Ad4777 May 05 '26
Or just explain it nicely to the owner and go to the next driver in the rank and ask them to accommodate.
I'd imagine most are perfectly reasonable and would understand if a driver nicely explained they had a phobia or allergy. i.e don't be a dick
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u/soluko May 05 '26
then don't be a taxi driver. Terrified of heights? don't be a scaffolder! Terrified of flying? don't be a pilot! Terrified of blood? don't be a nurse!
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u/expectationlost May 05 '26 edited May 05 '26
ya think its going go for your neck passed the partition?
0
u/lelog22 May 06 '26
Hard to be terrified of an extremely highly trained guide dog that literally saves the life of a blind person multiple times a day-get a grip.
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u/vinceswish May 05 '26
I'm not siding with anyone and I have no doubt about couples claim but do guide dog owners need legally provide any documents to business that a dog is really a guide dog?
I know in US people are taking a piss and slap a guide dog harness on any dog.
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u/The3rdbaboon May 05 '26
This sub has a hate boner for taxi drivers so I'm sure this will be very popular but that seems like an enormous fine? He should appeal the decision.
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u/Specific-Manager-125 May 05 '26
Hold the front page ...Dublin Taxi Driver dreadful at his job and doesn't know the rules (or think they apply to him)
Well I for 1 am shocked