The reason I have raised this matter on the Adjournment is because I feel the House is not properly aware of what has happened. Prior to September, 1967, a person who wished to take out a hackney licence in rural Ireland had to pay £1 for a badge and £1 10s for his car and, provided the motor car which he wished to use for the service was up to the prescribed standard, he was legally entitled to go on the road and charge for the services he carried out.
For some unexplainable reason the Department of Local Government have now introduced regulations which mean that any person who wishes to take out a hackney licence in rural Ireland must now pay £11 and £30 and he must have a car which is not older than two years. These regulations are to me criminal, particularly on the western seaboard where many small farmers, in order to supplement their already very small income, have hackney licences and drive people to Mass or take car loads to local dances at the weekends. These people are now forced to drive a vehicle which is not older than two years, they have to pay £11 for a badge, £30 to license the car, and in addition they may possibly have to pay £100 insurance. It is not proper for the Department of Local Government to expect people to pay this amount of money in order to provide a service in an area which needs such a service.
In one area I know, Dunfanaghy in County Donegal, the two local taximen have gone out of business. The area from Falcarragh to Creeslough is now without a hackney service unless some person comes up to the standards required by the Minister for Local Government. If no one comes up to these standards the Department is forcing people to practise illegal methods of carrying passengers. If an accident occurs these people will be told to hold their tongue and not admit that they were paying for carriage in the motor car involved in the accident. If a compensation case is to be taken against the offending party they will be expected to appear in a court of law and remain silent.
I have asked the Minister for Local Government today if we will revert to the pre-1967 conditions. I am satisfied if this were done the Garda authorities would ensure that the type of vehicle offered for licensing would be of the standard required or demanded by the Department of Local Government. How many people can state with any degree of authority that a vehicle under two years of age is a better vehicle than a vehicle which is four years of age? The four year old vehicle may have been very well serviced and may even have a very low mileage rate, whereas the two year old vehicle could have been hired out by one of the famous car hire firms in the city and may have put up 50,000 or 60,000 miles a year; but because it was under the two year limit it would still be eligible for licensing.
I believe the Minister, who comes from a rural part of the country, realises that many people in small towns with businesses who find their profits dwindling supplement their income by driving people around. The Minister knows of many small farmers who find it difficult to make ends meet and have a licence to provide a hackney service, but these regulations are forcing these people out of business. The Department should have another look at this. I am satisfied that if they specify other conditions the service will still be provided.
If an individual wants to get into the hackney car business—and I exclude the taximeter areas of Dublin and Cork—he must present a car which is less than two years old, he must pay £11 for his own licence, £30 for the hackney licence and pay his insurance premium, whereas an existing hackney driver will pay £1 for his licence and £1 10s for his motor car. There is an argument for protecting the men who are at present giving this service, but if these people opt out the licence is not transferable except to a personal representative or a member of the family. It has not been defined whether the present hackney owner has the right to sell his hackney licence and I should like the Minister to clarify this particular point when he is replying.
I do not want to delay the proceedings of the House and I do not want to go over ground I have already gone over, but I know of at least 20 people who have made inquiries at the local Garda station about how to get a licence but when they were told of these conditions they shied off. While this problem is now showing its head in Donegal I am quite satisfied it will not be too long before people will be knocking at the door of the Minister's house in West Galway. Only at that stage will he become conscious of what is happening. I would appeal to the Minister to reconsider the whole position and to allow into this business persons who might wish to give a service.