Vol. 390 No. 5
asked the Minister for Justice the number of taxi plates currently in use in Dublin city for each year from 1986 to 1989, inclusive; the number of plates which became available for sale in each of these years; the average price per plate; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
25.
asked the Minister for Justice if he has satisfied himself with the operation of the Carriage Office, which has, in the Dublin area, responsibility for the administration of the registration of taxis and the issuing of taxi plates; if his attention has been drawn to the high resale value of taxi plates, that is, £30,000; if, having regard to this high level, he will recommend to the Minister for the Environment that additional taxi plates should be issued from the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 25 together.
The Garda authorities inform me that they are satisfied with the operation of the Carriage Office. That office is responsible for the administration of the system of licensing of taxis in the Dublin area. However, it has no responsibility for determining the number of taxi licences on issue, nor have I any ministerial responsibility in the matter. Under the terms of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Licensing) Regulations, 1978, the power to determine the number of taxi licences for the Dublin taxi meter area is vested exclusively in Dublin Corporation.
The number of taxis licensed to operate in that area has remained at 1,824 since 1979. The number of transfers of licences which have taken place in the area in each of the years referred to in the first question is as follows: 1986, 155; 1987, 171; 1988, 157; 1989 (up to 18 May), 78.
The position about the sums being paid for taxi licences was outlined yesterday in a written reply by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, to a question by the Deputy.
