The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of the taxi industry under the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003, and is also the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011.
Among the proposals of the Taxi Regulation Review concerning enforcement, Action 24 deals with strengthened collaboration between An Garda Siochana and the NTA. Action 21 proposes a range of SPSV fixed charge penalties, which are currently administered by the NTA enforcement officers, will be extended to the Garda Síochána.
Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act, 2010 provides for amendments to the fixed charge penalty system and is intrinsically linked to Part 5 of that Act which in turn provides for changes to the penalty points system. Both parts will be commenced simultaneously when the necessary administrative and technical issues have been addressed by the Garda Síochána and the Courts Service.
Amendments to Part 3 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 will be provided for in the proposed Taxi Regulation Bill 2012 which I hope to publish shortly.