Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
1160. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to submit draft legislation to automatically remove the licences of taxi drivers convicted of a crime which makes them unsuitable to drive a cab. [10689/16]
View answerPart 4 of the Taxi Regulation Act, 2013, which commenced on 6th April 2014, provides for mandatory disqualification from holding a small public service vehicle (SPSV) driver licence upon conviction for specified offences. The specification of offences to which mandatory disqualification applies is based on the principle of ensuring the welfare and the safety of passengers.
In the case of the most serious indictable offences specified under Section 30 (2) of the Act, the disqualification applies whether the person has been convicted before or after the commencement of that subsection. This is to ensure that those with convictions on indictment for the most serious crimes will be excluded from the industry.
The Act provides for a right of appeal for those affected by the mandatory disqualification provisions under which the appropriate court shall have regard to a range of specified matters pertinent to the suitability of the appellant to hold a SPSV driver licence.
