asked the Minister for Transport and Power what action Aer Rianta Propose to take against taxi owners without Aer Rianta permits who operate from the taxi rank at Dublin Airport.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Airport Taxis.
5.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will say with reference to a reply of 5th April last how Aer Rianta propose to determine the likelihood of taxi owners operating an efficient and regular service; and, in particular, what circumstances will be considered as rendering a licence applicant unfit to hold a licence.
8.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will say with reference to a reply of 5th April last the number and type of meals which taxi owners will get at Dublin airport restaurant for the sum of £13 per annum.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 5, 6 and 8 together.
Aer Rianta propose to carry out periodic checks of vehicles operated by permit holders and to investigate complaints so as to ensure that a high standard of roadworthiness and efficiency is maintained. By putting the taxi service on a more orderly and secure basis at the airport, the permit holders will be encouraged to operate regularly.
Permits may be withdrawn where Aer Rianta consider that as regards general condition of taxi, appearance, roadworthiness or general performance, a satisfactory service is not being maintained.
Taxi owners who operate without permission from the taxi rank at the airport would be contravening the airport bye-laws and would be subject to the provisions of Part V of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1950, governing such offences and governing the removal and arrest of offenders at the airport.
As regards meals at the airport, the regular taximen use the Aer Lingus staff restaurant where meals for Aer Lingus staff are subsidised by the company. The subsidy on the price of meals consumed by the taximen is recovered by means of the contribution of £13 a year. I understand that the contribution covers one meal a day, normally lunch.
Do I understand from the Minister that the taximen will be given a free meal per day for £13?
They will pay £13 a year towards 365 meals.
They will get those 365 meals without additional charge?
No.
Does the Minister think that in practical terms the airport is a public authority and as such the invoking of Part V of the 1950 Act is tantamount to treating the taximen using the public rank there as quasicriminals? It was never the intention to invoke Part V of the Act against taximen using the public taxi rank.
The regulations made under Part V of the Air Navagation and Transport Act 1950 clearly permit the exclusion and admission of persons and vehicles by the airport authority. It is clearly within the law.
Will the Minister not agree that it was primarily in relation to air navigation that these terms were inserted in the 1950 Act and that the steps necessary to facilitate air navigation have nothing to do with the present dispute which Aer Rianta is endeavouring to engender at Dublin Airport?
If the Deputy reads the entire regulations he will find that they are so drafted because it is regarded as exceedingly necessary to control the movements of everybody within the airport area. There are the strictest regulations in that regard and they apply to other airports as well as ours.