Thank you. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the taxi regulation review report, which was published on my Department's website in January. The Government-endorsed taxi regulation review report contains 46 separate actions aimed at improving standards, administration and enforcement within the taxi sector. The broad aim of the report is to increase consumer confidence in the sector and to remove rogue elements in the sector. We also want to ensure that legitimate and professional taxi operators and drivers can be rewarded fairly by operating under a regulatory regime that is adequately enforced.
The National Transport Authority is the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the review recommendations. The NTA will make quarterly progress reports to the taxi advisory committee established under the 2003 Act and in its annual report. The NTA has taken immediate steps to respond to the publication of the taxi regulation review report. A programme office, steering group and supporting implementation group are now set up in the NTA to progress the actions. I understand that identification and planning of discrete work elements is well progressed. I have met with this group recently to receive an update on that.
I would now like to highlight measures of particular significance in the report. In the driver and vehicle licensing areas, the introduction of continuous tax compliance checking, together with comprehensive information exchange with Revenue and the Department of Social Protection will enable effective action to be taken against those SPSV licence holders who operate in violation of the relevant rules in these areas. It is also intended to transfer responsibility for licensing SPSV drivers from An Garda Síochána to the NTA. This will lead to a one-stop-shop driver and vehicle licensing area and provide a streamlined process for the overall licensing of the sector. Vetting of taxi licence applicants will continue to remain the responsibility of An Garda Síochána.
In the area of taxi vehicle licences, we will address the current anomaly whereby taxi licences issued prior to 1 January 2009 can be sold or transferred on one occasion. There will be a prohibition on the transferability of taxi vehicle licences such that, after 1 October 2012, all taxi vehicle licences will be unique to the person to whom the licence has been issued and cannot be transferred or sold to another individual. This will bring taxi licences into line with wheelchair accessible taxi licences, wheelchair accessible hackney licences, hackney licences and limousine licences, all of which are non-transferable. In the case of accessible services for people with disabilities, a booking contact centre will be piloted and evaluated and will assist in gathering better information on WAT utilization, and a website and smart phone application to facilitate self-ordering of WATs will be developed.
There will be more effective collaboration between the Garda and the NTA in the area of enforcement. There will be mandatory disqualification of persons who have been convicted of certain serious offences from holding SPSV licences. Action 22 provides for the bringing into operation of an amended section 36 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003, which was enacted in its original form several years ago but was never given full statutory effect. An amended provision will enable an updated code to be introduced. There will be an expansion of fixed penalty offences available for use by the Garda, as well as the introduction of a system of penalty points.
The reform of the taxi rental arrangements, while continuing to permit the "full package" taxi rental market, will facilitate and encourage a more professional taxi rental market, addressing a key area of concern under the current arrangements. As regards certain consumer measures such as websites, phone applications and new complaints processes, an awareness campaign will be undertaken to inform consumers on the impact of these new initiatives and how they can be utilised by consumers. The introduction of a requirement for branding of taxi vehicles, through semi-permanent markings applied to the vehicle body, will provide greater recognition of taxis, promote greater professionalism of the industry and reduce the potential for unlicensed vehicles to operate as taxis.
Section 3.5 of the report provides an overview of enforcement and compliance matters and refers to a number of legislative changes that will be necessary to strengthen enforcement. The approach to enforcement and compliance, as outlined in the report, reflects an intensive examination of the area by the review group, which included representation from the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána.
The enforcement regime to be adopted in future will be based on an intensified approach to tackling non-compliance, depending on the gravity of the criminal offence or the compliance failure. It will also be designed to speed up the prosecution of offenders and the administration of justice. Prosecution in court for serious offences, the use of fixed penalty offence prosecutions, and the later development of a suitable penalty points system for lesser taxi regulation breaches will enable a more effective use of resources and a speedier response to wrongdoers by enforcement officers and the courts. Furthermore, there will be a new code for the revocation, suspension and refusal of licences to tackle contravention of licensing requirements. This new sanctions regime will be critical to the successful outcome of many of the actions outlined in the report.
Some key enforcement issues mentioned will require legislation. An amendment of section 36 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 will be made in 2012. That will provide for mandatory disqualification of persons convicted of serious criminal offences, who will be prohibited from operating in the industry. The aim will be to strengthen the safeguards to protect passengers from danger from unsuitable drivers and to ensure passenger safety. In addition, the commencement of section 35 of the 2003 Act will allow for an enhanced sanctions regime for suspension or revocation of licences. Improvement to on-street compliance will be assisted by enabling the Garda to prosecute 12 fixed charge penalty offences through enhanced collaboration between the Garda and the NTA.
As necessary, complementary secondary legislation will be made by the NTA under section 34 of the 2003 Act, in order to clarify the sanctions regime for licence holders. The potential for suspension of a licence, subject to certain criteria of breaches of regulations, will be examined. However, as the NTA has been charged with the lead role in the report's implementation, many of the follow up actions will fall to that body. I will of course be keeping abreast of the implementation programme, while focusing on any legislative measures identified.
The reaction to the report has been generally positive. I believe that the wide-ranging actions identified offer an opportunity to rectify many of the issues that have troubled the sector. I look forward to hearing the committee's views and responding to questions.