Vol. 489 No. 3
190 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the submissions, if any, his Department has received from the Garda in relation to any difficulties in enforcing the law under the Road Traffic Acts, 1963 to 1995, in the context of the Public Service Vehicles Regulations, 1995; if not, if he will consider requesting submissions from the Garda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8050/98]
There is ongoing contact between my Department, the Garda and local authorities in relation to the operation of the public service vehicles regulations generally. Adjustments to these regulations commonly reflect issues brought to attention in this context, as for example in the case of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1998 which were recently made, following representations from the Garda to amplify and clarify elements of the specification for wheelchair accessible taxis.
191 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the present review, in the context of the Public Service Vehicle Regulations, 1995, will examine the problem in Dundalk and other large urban areas of the setting up of illegal cab offices. [8051/98]
199 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when he intends to report on the review of the Public Service Vehicles Regulations, 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8100/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 199 together.
The Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1995), established a comprehensive revised framework for licensing taxis and hackneys. The scope and operation of the regulations is kept under regular review. The regulations have already been amended for the purpose of introducing changes to criteria applying to the assessment of applications for new taxi and wheelchair accessible taxi licences and to amplify and clarify elements of the specification for wheelchair accessible taxis.
It is a matter for the local planning authority to decide whether the use of premises as a cab office is or is not development within the meaning of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963-1993. Enforcement of the planning Acts is also a matter for the local planning authority.
192 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the public service vehicle documents required for inspection by Garda public service vehicle officers when a person is bringing his or her vehicle for roadworthy vehicle testing for the first time; if it is the normal practice for a first time applicant to produce a receipt for the £30 application fee without the production of a taxi-hackney vehicle licence and the public service vehicle officer being also aware that a moratorium on the issue of taxi-hackney licences may exist where such applicant resides; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8052/98]
The Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1995 place a number of requirements on applicants in relation to documentation to be presented to a local authority prior to the grant or renewal of a taxi or hackney licence. These include the presentation of a certificate issued by the Garda Commissioner that the vehicle in question is suitable to be licensed as a taxi or as a hackney and that it complies with relevant regulations made under section 11 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, and with the public service vehicles regulations generally.
The regulations also provide for the payment of a fee of £30 to the Garda Commissioner in respect of inspection and examination of a vehicle. The detailed administrative arrangements for inspecting and examining vehicles, including the payment of the statutory fee, are a matter for the Garda Commissioner; those relating to the grant or renewal of licences are for the relevant local authority.
