Vol. 565 No. 1
225 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Transport the reason a Department test is required on a taxi belonging to a person who is moving from County Galway to County Kerry, despite the fact that the test was completed two months previously; and his views on whether this practice contradicts the accepted position that his Department's test is a national test. [10281/03]
Taxi and wheelchair accessible taxi licences may be granted by a licensing authority in respect of that authority's taximeter area. This is done following the presentation of a vehicle test certificate and a certificate of suitability issued by the national car testing service, demonstration of appropriate insurance and payment of the appropriate fee.
A taxi may only provide a taxi service in the taximeter area in respect of which the licence has been granted. Accordingly, taxi licences cannot be transferred from one taximeter area to another.
Where a person wishes to apply for the grant of a taxi licence in respect of a vehicle which is already the subject of a taxi licence granted in another taximeter area, the application can only be processed in respect of the new taximeter area where the full qualifying conditions are complied with.
That process includes the carrying out of the appropriate inspections by the NCT. These incorporate the following: a suitability test which addresses issues relating to the mounting on the vehicle of a taxi sign bearing the licence number and details of the licensing authority granting the licence; the lighting of that sign; the fitting of a taximeter; the automatic printing of a receipt that displays the full fare for the hire based on the maximum fare structure in place in that taximeter area; the date starting and finishing time of the hire; and the licence number of the taxi or wheelchair accessible taxi.
It is clear that as the licensing details displayed on the taxi sign and given on the receipt, along with the fare structure programmed into the taximeter, will vary from taximeter area to taximeter area, a separate certificate of suitability is required for each taximeter area.
