Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 March 2013
40. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way taxi drivers who own perfectly safe and roadworthy vehicles designed to accommodate wheelchairs, are to be compensated; the way those who have lost the mobility allowance are going to travel with less wheelchair accessible taxis on the road, following the decision that such vehicles have to be taken off the road when they are 15 years old. [15038/13]
View answer47. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will reverse the decision requiring taxi drivers to take wheelchair taxis off the road once they are 15 years old. [15037/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 47 together.
The regulation of the taxi industry, including issues pertaining to vehicle age limit, is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Public Transport Regulation Act, 2009. The NTA is the lead agency with responsibility for implementation of the recommendations of the Taxi Regulation Review Report 2011.
The NTA carried out a consultation on vehicle standards as part of the Taxi Regulation Review which gave rise to recommendations for strengthening vehicle standards. Action 10 of the Review Report recommends retention of the 9 year vehicle age limit that applies at licence issue or renewal for all new vehicles entering the fleet. For existing vehicles in the fleet licensed prior to 1 January 2009, these can operate up to the 15th annniversary of each vehicle's first registration subject to 6-monthly NCT testing and NTA licence renewal assessment. It is envisaged therefore that, over time, all vehicles older than nine years will gradually transition from the taxi and hackney fleet.
A number of other recommendations of the Taxi Review aim to address the transport requirements in SPSVs for people with disability and reduced mobility. In particular, Action 20 of the Taxi Regulation Review Report recommended the review of existing specifications for WAVs with view to assisting in the increase in availability of accessible SPSVs. Action 18 proposes a single contact centre for ordering wheelchair accessible taxi services, which is to be introduced on a pilot basis. These actions are being developed by the NTA with a view to implementation later this year.
