Vol. 489 No. 1
2 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Taoiseach the reason it was necessary for a representative of his Department to attend meetings of the taxi forum in view of the fact that the regulation of the taxi industry was passed to local authorities from the Department of the Environment in 1995; and the number of person hours spent by the representative on this task. [7127/98]
There are a number of Government Departments represented on the forum as are the Dublin local authorities and the representatives of the national taxi organisations. The Deputy is correct when she says that the regulation function has been passed on to the local authorities. I am sure she is aware that other issues arise which cross departmental boundaries and the forum is a very useful vehicle for resolving them.
The forum is chaired by the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Dublin Transportation Office. I have a very keen interest in Dublin's traffic problems and taxis are an essential ingredient in any solution to those problems. For that reason I established the taxi forum. There is a representative from my Department attending the forum to keep me informed of developments. The time spent is approximately one half day per month.
I am confused by the Taoiseach's reply. He said the committee has a role in resolving issues. I understand that was a consultative forum and had no role in resolving any issues. The statutory responsibility for regulating the taxi industry lies with the four Dublin local authorities. I am bemused by the Taoiseach's role in this matter. Surely it is against the principles of subsidiarity, SMI and local agenda 21 and democracy for the Taoiseach to feel he must interfere in this way. Where is the forum leading and what is its purpose? Is its role to replace the statutory powers of the local authorities or will the Taoiseach be issuing taxi licences?
Or driving them.
That was a bad joke from Deputy Mitchell.
There is a misunderstanding about what exactly is happening in the taxi industry. The Taoiseach has been misled into believing that——
The Deputy is making a rather long statement and should ask a question.
Where is this forum leading? A statutory body has been set up which is making decisions. It appears the Taoiseach has duplicated that role and virtually replaced it by appointing someone to this consultative forum who is acting as his eyes and ears. What is its role? Does the Taoiseach make the decision or is it the local authority? What legislation was brought in to make it so?
The forum will make recommendations in due course to the relevant authorities and I have no doubt its report will be useful to the local authorities. They have not done a very good job during my 21 years in public life.
The forum is consultative. I was referring to the part it played recently in resolving intractable difficulties in the regulations governing wheelchair accessible taxis. I thank those involved for resolving that which others could not.
The powers were devolved to local authorities in 1995 via statutory instrument. Is the Taoiseach supportive of the idea that regulation of taxis is a matter for local authorities or is it part of the brief of the forum to review this and return it to central Government?
No, it was confirmed to the Deputy that is not an issue.
It is outrageous for the Taoiseach to say local authorities have done a bad job. Responsibility lay in the Department until September 1995 and the power to regulate the taxi industry was then passed to local authorities. They made a decision to which the Taoiseach objected and now he seeks to take that power away from them. Will he introduce legislation to do this or will he allow local democracy to prevail?
I have no plans to legislate and hope local democracy can prevail.
Will the Taoiseach allow local authorities to implement their plans? The forum is an obstacle to them dealing effectively with the issue of taxi licences.
The forum is not an obstacle. I talked to all the groups and while I do not want raise the difficulties that existed last year, many issues must be resolved. I hope local authorities, the Department, the forum and everybody else can deal with these issues. My remarks were not critical of any individual, but the fact is the development of taxi policy over the years has not been satisfactory.
The county of Dublin had no authority.
Efforts are being made to deal with the issue.
The local authorities were the only ones that took it up.
The Taoiseach said he had numerous meetings with taxi interests. Does he think it is the function of the Taoiseach to negotiate with taxi interests in regard to licensing?
Only when it is falling to pieces.
I do not, but the Deputy will recall almost open warfare on the streets of Dublin between different groups last summer.
They were given comfort by the Taoiseach's intervention.
If the Taoiseach can stop such an occurrence and get people to work constructively towards a resolution it is a good idea for him or her to do something rather than sit in his or her office.
What has the Taoiseach done to impress them?
Is the Taoiseach conscious of the impression created generally in Dublin that his high profile involvement in this issue is linked to the fact that during the last general election many taxis carried Fianna Fáil logos throughout the city? Is he concerned that his intervention creates an impression that this is not due process——
That is a defeatist attitude.
——and there has been an unwarranted involvement by him in a process which appears to the public to be a form of pay back?
No.
Ask Deputy Callely about it.
