Vol. 415 No. 7
144 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline (a) the regulations which govern the operation of hackney cabs, operating under a hackney licence as distinct from a taxi plate, (b) the present cost of a hackney licence, (c) the estimated cost of a taxi plate in (1) Dublin, (2) Cork, (3) Galway and (4) Limerick and (d) the modifications, if any, he intends making in the regulations which govern the use of hackney licences.
The Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 to 1992, provide, inter alia, for the licensing of the operation of private hire vehicles (i.e. hackneys). The functions of small public service vehicles are outlined in the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1983.
A fee of £7 is payable annually in respect of a private hire licence and a fee of £20 applies to the inspection of the vehicle. A fee of £3,000 is payable in respect of the first issue of a public hire licence (taxi) and an annual fee of £100 is payable. The £3,000 fee also applies in the event that such a licence is being transferred.
The regulations governing the licensing of small public service vehicles generally are being examined by an interdepartmental committee established to review the laws applying to the operation of such vehicles. I expect the report of the committee to be submitted to me by early March.
