Taxi drivers are calling for a promised fare hike of almost 5% to be implemented while a review is carried out.
Those working in the industry say the rising cost of fuel, and the increased use of contactless payments, are among the main reasons for the call.
Jim Waldron is from the National Private Hire & Taxi Association.
He told Newstalk Breakfast drivers are operating at a loss.
"They should increase... the obvious one is that the fuel costs have gone up so high over the last year or so.
"But this fare increase was approved back in 2019; and it suggested that we lost 5% on the previous two years.
"The cost of running a taxi had increased by 5%, and that calculation didn't include the huge rise in contactless payments.
"Everytime a driver does a transaction with contactless payment, he loses up to 4.8% on that transaction".
He says the increase was delayed because of the outbreak of the pandemic. But he believes things have changed since then.
"I think things have changed slightly - taxi drivers are back in work in a lot of cases at the moment.
"They're out there providing a service, and they can't be doing it at a loss - and that's what we're doing at the moment".
He says while the National Transport Authority (NTA) is to carry out a new review, this will take around six months.
"So we're saying approve this in the meantime, pay for the meters to be recalibrated and let's get it on the road.
"Let's have the review but in the meantime we're falling behind and we need some help".
And he says taxis cannot set their own rates: "We're controlled by the Government, or the NTA, on what we can charge - whereas other people in other industries can alter their fares.
"Or at times they charge extra money, they can all do that but we can't".
