Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 5

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Seán Crowe

Question:

309 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport the number of wheelchair accessible taxis in Dublin; the proportion of total taxis in Dublin that this constitutes; the difference between those figures and the number and proportion of wheelchair accessible taxis available prior to deregulation; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a wheelchair accessible taxi depreciates by ?25 a day; if he has considered providing financial support to those taxi drivers who use wheelchair accessible taxis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26652/02]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

Granting of taxi and wheelchair accessible taxi licences in the Dublin taxi meter area is the responsibility of Dublin City Council to whom applications for taxi licences are made. Detailed information regarding the numbers of wheelchair accessible taxi licences issued in Dublin would be available from the council.

The Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations, 2000, which were made on 21 November 2000, provide a revised basis for taxi licensing. In recognition of the need to promote and provide an incentive for the provision of wheelchair accessible taxis the fee for the grant of a new wheelchair accessible taxi has been fixed at €125, with a €6,300 fee for ordinary taxi licences. It has not been the policy to provide financial support to those drivers who use wheelchair accessible taxis and there is no current proposal to change this position.

The Government recently gave its approval to the appointment of a taxi regulator whose functions will include the implementation of the commitment to continue the process of making taxis wheelchair accessible.