Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Oct 2001

Vol. 542 No. 1

Written Answers. - Taxi Regulations.

Richard Bruton

Question:

102 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many people had paid £1,000 for a hackney plate shortly before he cut the fee to £200; if he will make arrangements for the refund of this excess in the same way as he refunded those who bought taxi plates shortly before the change; if not, if he will make arrangements to extend tax relief to these hackney drivers in the same way as has been applied to taxi drivers who had bought a taxi plate under private arrangement before deregulation. [23549/01]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

The major changes introduced by the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations, 2000, relate to the regime for taxi licensing and operation. The commitment by the Government to address, as a mitigating measure to certain taxi licence holders, the question of high fees paid to local authorities relates to taxi licences only. There is no current proposal for such mitigation in relation to hackney licence fees. The taxation allowances provided for in the Finance Act, 2001, similarly apply to qualifying taxi licence holders only.