Vol. 529 No. 1
761 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will revise the specifications for taxis in order that they are suitable for use by those in wheelchairs and for use by older people and those suffering from other forms of disability. [30583/00]
810 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will report on the negotiations undertaken with taxi drivers; if compensation or refunds are to be paid; and if so, the extent to which this will occur. [1494/01]
860 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he is making special arrangements for taxi drivers who have had to retire on grounds of illness and whose only source of income was from renting their plates; and if he will consider some form of compensation for hardship cases such as these. [2421/01]
861 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has any plans to provide special training for taxi drivers to adequately cater for the needs of wheelchair users. [2422/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 761, 810, 860 and 861 together.
Discussions regarding the new taxi regime have taken place between my Department and taxi interests, both in multilateral sessions involving all main representative groups and in bilateral contacts.
My Department has made clear in these discussions that the Government does not acknowledge a duty of compensation in relation to the loss of the secondary market value of taxi licences nor is it proposed to provide such compensation.
Equally, my Department has sought to progress agreement with taxi interests on the mitigating measures for certain existing taxi licence holders envisaged in the new regime announced by the Government. Further details regarding capital tax allowances have recently been published by the Department of Finance. Under the Finance Bill, 2001, it will be proposed that taxi licence owners at 21 November 2000 may write off the actual cost to them of the taxi licences as a capital allowance. A write-off period of five years in line with the new write-off period for capital allowances for plant and machinery will apply and the commencement of the write-off period will be back-dated for three years to 21 November 1997.
It is also proposed to develop an administrative scheme to address high licensing fees paid to certain local authorities for the grant of certain taxi and wheelchair accessible taxi licences. My Department will issue instructions on this matter to relevant licensing authorities in the near future.
