asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state what regulations, if any, govern the charges made by owners of private hire motor hackney vehicles, and whether the fixed charge of 1/6 per mile applies to all small public service vehicles, or only to such vehicles plying for public hire.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hackney Charges.
Hackney car charges are not controlled by Order except—
(a) charges by street taxis plying for hire in Dublin and Cork, the charges for which are controlled by the Commissioner, Gárda Síochána, the present maximum mileage rate being 2/-, and
(b) in so far as individual charges are covered by Emergency Powers (Prices and Charges) (Standstill) Order, 1944, in accordance with which it is an offence to charge for any service more than was charged in the month of May, 1944.
Consideration has been given to the question of controlling private hackney car charges during the emergency on the basis of maximum mileage rates related to various circumstances, but I have arrived at the conclusion, having regard to the obvious difficulty of enforcement, that such action is impracticable.
I should add that investigation made into the costs of hackney owners has revealed that their charges, generally, have not been unduly high.