Eamon Gilmore
Question:311 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Transport the reason it is extremely difficult for wheelchair users to obtain a taxi which is accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9644/03]
Written Answers - Taxi Regulations.
In the context of taxi liberalisation it was recognised that there is a need to promote and incentivise the provision of wheelchair accessible taxis and, accordingly, the fee for the grant of a new wheelchair accessible taxi licence is fixed at €125, with a €6,300 fee for ordinary taxi licences.
The programme for Government also establishes a number of commitments in relation to taxi services including a specific commitment to continue the process of making taxis wheelchair accessible. Acting on another of the commitments in that programme, on 19 November 2002 the Government approved the establishment of the office of the national taxi regulator and a taxi advisory commission, initially on a non-statutory basis, pending the development of legislative proposals.
The preparation of the necessary legislation is proceeding as a matter of urgency in my Department with a view to the formal establishment of a commission for taxi regulation and a taxi advisory council. The role envisaged for the commission includes the setting of national standards of entry into the industry, standards for taxi, hackney and limousine vehicles including the implementation of the proposed wheelchair accessible taxi policy as well as the setting of standards for customer service and for meeting the needs of people with disabilities.
As an interim measure, I have recently appointed Mr. Jimmy Farrelly, former Secretary General of the Department of the Environment and Local Government, as an interim chairman of the commission for taxi regulation pending the recruitment of a statutory chairman. Mr. Farrelly will have a particular focus on qualitative issues and he is already engaged in a consultation process with the taxi, hackney, and limousine industry, local authorities, the Garda Síochána and other interest groups with a view to assessing and addressing issues relating to standards in the industry, including vehicle standards.