'Badly needed'- Ireland's first female based taxi service set up after violent attack

LadyCab, Ireland's first ever female focused taxi service, is set to launch in Dublin City in the next couple of weeks.

This initiative, set up by CEO Emanuela Negura, aims to help female passengers and female taxi drivers to feel more secure and safe.

The new app, according to CEO Emanuela on RTE Radio, will have both male and female taxi drivers working for the company but "a key distinction option that we will provide is that a woman will be connected to a female taxi driver".

She also said that she is looking at implementing real-time GPS tracking on the vehicles, shareable emergency contacts, route monitoring and emergency in app alerts linked to a 24/7 support team.

The CEO of LadyCab told RTE that she decided to create LadyCab after she herself was attacked by a man in Dublin.

"I was attacked on a Saturday night last year in July in the city centre by a male passenger, who tried to get in my car," Emanuela told RTE.

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"I was parked. He tried to get in, but luckily the door was locked. He tried to smash my window. He grabbed me by the neck and he hit me.

"It was not even dark. I realised we are so exposed as taxi drivers to the dangers of Dublin’s nightlife.

The woman explained that this when she realised how badly a female based taxi service was needed.

There has been mixed reactions on social media to this new service start up since the announcement was made on Friday December 12.

There were some comments arguing the point "what if there was an all male taxi service" and one person said: "You can just imagine the outcry if there was a male only taxi service set up".

Another person agreed and said: "That is discrimination. If it was a male only service and only males were allowed there would be absolute uproar".

There are also positive comments on social media about the new initiative that agreed it would make women feel a lot safer.

One person said: "Great idea. Both female taxi drivers and female passengers will feel safer so more women will take up taxi driving".

Another person commented, "The likelihood is if it is a female there will be a lot lot less violence" and another person said "Something that's badly needed and has been for years".

Other people made the point that it is sad and "damning" that LadyCab had to be created in the first place so that woman can feel safe going home after a night out.