Vol. 539 No. 1
355 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of taxi licences issued to date; the number of people who are full-time taxi operators; the number of people who are part-time taxi operators; the number of hours a person can legally drive a taxi in a working day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18515/01]
Neither my Department nor the Garda authorities have a role in relation to the issuance of taxi licences, as this is a matter for the relevant local authority under the Public Service Vehicles Regulations, 1963, as amended, of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, as amended.
The Garda Síochána is, however, responsible for the issuance of taxi driver licences to suitable applicants. I am informed by the Garda authorities that information in relation to the number of taxi driver licences in the State would take a considerable amount of Garda time to compile and is not readily available.
In relation to the number of hours a person can legally drive a taxi, I am informed by the Garda authorities that a person is prohibited from driving a public service vehicle for more than 11 hours in any one day in any period of three consecutive days.
